IDENTITY DYNAMICS IN FRANCE
A FIELD ACTIVITY REPORT
by Karim Bouhassoun, ANELD Organization
Youth in Action - 4th Nov. 2011Strasbourg
IMMIGRATION AND INCLUSION : DEFINITIONS
Foreigner : foreign-born resident in France
Immigrant : foreign-born with French nationality
Descendant : parents (children, grandchildren ...) of foreigners and immigrants with French nationality
Sub-Saharan Africa : French-speaking Africa
A SHORT HISTORY OF IMMIGRATION IN FRANCE
An old phenomenon : from the 18 th century to the present
An overview of today 15,4 M people with a foreign background (25%, over 63 M)
5,1 M immigrants 6,5 M direct descendants of immigrants 3,6 M foreigners
Immigrants are mainly of African origin In 2008, of 11,6 M people composed of immigrants (5,1 millions) and
direct descendants (6,5 millions), or 19 % of the population, 5.5 M are from Europe and 4 M from North Africa
Legal immigration (2010) is about 180 000 new migrants a year, of which 135 000 outside the European Union
Source : Eurostat, INED, INSEE
FRENCH RESIDENCY BY COUNTRY OF NATIONALITY - 2006
FRENCH SECULARISM AND ETHNICITY
Republican principles : freedom, equality, fraternity, secularism (added in 1905) and a certain vision of the social contract
Citizenship
French society has become increasingly sensitive to the debate on integration, citizenship and Islam
integration policies based on an absolute defense of republican principles are not well received by minorities
“the wearing of signs or dress by which pupils overtly manifest a religious affiliation is prohibited.” Law on religious symbols in public schools, 2004
"The school programs recognize in particular the positive role of the French presence overseas, notably in North Africa” Law on recognition of the
Nation, 2005
RACIAL DISCRIMINATION – NON EUROPEANS EMPLOYMENT RATE
Source : INED
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AMONG DESCENDANTS OF IMMIGRANTS
Source : INED
PROPORTION OF PEOPLE WHO REPORTED EXPERIENCINGDISCRIMINATION IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS
Source : INED
THE FRENCH PARADOX
Source : INED
WHICH OF THESE SENTENCES IS CLOSEST TO WHAT YOU THINK?
Source : INED
« LES BANLIEUES » : FROM RIOTS TO HOPE
disadvantaged suburbs: urban areas located around the central city
What are the features or criteria ?
Geography Economy Sociology Culture Ethnicity Psychology ? …
« LES BANLIEUES » : THE EXAMPLE OF SEINE-SAINT-DENIS
« LES BANLIEUES » : 2005 - SOCIAL OR ETHNIC RIOTS ?
What happened ?
Why ?
Geography Economy Sociology Culture Ethnicity Psychology ? …
« LES BANLIEUES » : THE EXAMPLE OF SEINE-SAINT-DENIS
« LES BANLIEUES » : THE EXAMPLE OF SEINE-SAINT-DENIS
CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION
Statements on cultural diversity and the construction of identity
If you help a foreigner, the social initiatives you lead must take cultural difference as a fact
Social integration initiatives (towards the nationals) are normality, provided that you help someone who is poor and marginalized, not a “foreigner”
For second generation immigrants inclusion : the most important feature is self-esteem (Mixity = curiosity, Curiosity = openness, Openness = enrichment, Enrichment = positive self-esteem)
STATE INCLUSION POLICIES IN FRANCE
“Défenseur des droits”, the French Ombudsman,
a catch-all institution
The Ministry of Immigration, Integration, National Identity
and co-development
“Haut Conseil à l’intégration” (a ‘forum for reflection and proposals’)
(Website down)
My nephew, Nadir
“Un Islam de France”… what about secularism ???
REVIEW OF FIELD ACTIVITIES (1): YOUTH PARTICIPATION TO CULTURE
“La fontaine aux images” and “360 Degrés Sud”
Clichy-sous-Bois : epicenter of the riots Involving young people into cultural programmes Exporting culture in the blocks
Lessons learned discovering a new culture is not abandoning your culture
culture, while being a subject of leisure and work, has a strong and cohesive educational function
For the youth : a need to conquer and hold strong benchmarks in areas where Republican imagery is rejected
REVIEW OF FIELD ACTIVITIES (2): YOUTH POLITICAL INVOLVMENT
Observation : Public policy towards immigrants effectiveness needs new legitimacy Poor and excluded immigrants lack political representation Social policy, not communitarianism
Actions : International, national and regional coordination of activism Support for candidates from cultural diversity
Lessons learned Marginalization transformed into inclusion Appropriation of the public space The backbones of immigrants inclusion policies are immigrants themselves
CONCLUSION AND DEBATE
Bet !!!
Importance of local initiatives and long term initiatives
Involve families
Free youth autonomy
No universal rule on the identity construction dynamics, but psychological obstacles to identify and overcome