Class distance, ethnic distance? The reception of claims to political representation in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni (French Guiana)

Based on an ethnographic survey, and through two candidates (the Creole mayor and his Amerindian opponent), this article analyzes changes in the relationship between representatives and those represented from minority groups in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni (French Guiana). It looks at the role that social homology plays in the residents’ perceptions of those who claim to represent them, and it considers what creates a sense of being well represented at the intersection of gender, race, and class. It also deals with the politicization of issues regarding the representation of these groups and its effects on client relations.