European Multiculturalism/French Riots, 1/06

Key Lecture Points:

• The largest-scale riots seen in France since the 1960s began on October 27, 2005 in most of the poorer suburbs of Paris and other major cities. Violence erupted following the deaths of two youths of Tunisian and Algerian decent by accidental electrocution as they hid from police in a power substation. First, second and third generation mostly Muslim, immigrant youths from former French colonies in North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria) rioted in protest of what they perceive to be society-wide discrimination of France’s non-white, Muslim immigrant population. They allege systematic discrimination in areas of citizenship, housing, social welfare programs, the educational system, employment and also a general fear and hatred of Muslims in Europe.

• The roots of this social tension can be traced back to the French colonial conquest of North Africa, wherein those of Arab and Muslim descent were discriminated against, often violently. Following bloody wars of independence after WWII, in Algeria in particular, many North African immigrants relocated to France as ‘guest-workers’, to take advantage of job opportunities created by the demands of the French economy for cheap labor to assist in post-war reconstruction. Some suggest that colonial tensions along racial and religious lines have reproduced themselves in modern French society, with North African immigrant populations constituting a “resentful underclass” that is looked down upon and deprived of socio-economic opportunity in the greater white, Christian, French society.

• The French riots erupted at a particularly pivotal time, as greater-Europe wrestles with the socio-economic and cultural tensions that have resulted from its growing Muslim population. In particular, Britain, Germany and Italy are experiencing similar tensions that grew out of similar guest-worker programs. The question of racial and religious tension in Europe also bears on the issue of predominantly Muslim Turkey becoming part of the EU; over 70% of EU citizens reject the proposed Turkish accession.

• The issue of France’s Muslim immigrant population has been brought into focus by the recent riots, at a time when Americans begin to debate a guest-worker program for Mexican immigrants, making the lessons that might be gleaned from the French case all the more important.

For More Information:
• French Colonial Rule in North Africa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_colonial_empires
• French Immigration Policy: http://www.brookings.edu/fp/cuse/analysis/immigration.htm AND http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/~os0tmc/contemp1/immig2.htm
• The French Riots: http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2005-11/2005-11-17-voa69.cfm?CFID=18239664&CFTOKEN=82441345


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