ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses the much-debated Coulibaly case in France regarding female genital cutting (FGC, excision), noting that the practice represents one of the most intractable challenges to the concept of personal autonomy as grounded in many ‘Western’ societies. France is the country with the most extensive jurisprudence on FGC, and is the only country where cases of FGC are systematically brought to court. Drawing on her own empirical research, the author illustrates the difficulty of reconciling modern interpretations of the notion of autonomy with the overwhelmingly powerful values and traditions of certain communities.
