Discrimination of Arabs in France
By: Yaseen Rashed/ Arab America contributing writer
Western Europe has always held a complicated relationship with Arab immigrants and Arab nationals as the legacy of colonialism continues to lure over the complicated social integration of the two cultures. Specifically, racial tension in northern France has proved much more dynamic over the years and growing resentment to the increasing numbers of refugees and immigrants continues to fuel the feud between french nationals and Arab immigrants.
This legacy began in the colonial period with Europe’s “scramble for Africa” essentially colonizing and depleting resources from countries across the continent. The french were specifically aggressive in the Algerian conquest, as they tried to establish Algeria not as a territory, but rather an “extension of France itself.” With this, the french violently suppressed any uprisings or calls for independence using deadly force and firing at protesters. The revolt against the french eventually grew stronger and stronger, leading the french to double down and be more suppressive. This lead to Algeria is known as the country with 1 million martyrs and by the time France gave Algeria its independence in 1962, it had almost decimated the population leaving nothing but destruction and chaos in the country. France’s colonial legacy, however, goes further than simply occupying the land. Everything from laws to language to food and culture became heavily influenced by the French occupation.
This dynamic lead many people from these former colonies to immigrate to France as the country aligned with many of the cultural aspects they are familiar with. Because the legacies French colonialism left on their countries, many were left with broken systems of governance and no future in the job market and no opportunities in education, many saw their former colonizers as the only way out of their situation. This lead to a massive influx of Algerians and other North Africans to France after independence. However, these populations were met by massive protests and a huge surge in public opinion against Arabs. The French saw this as an infringement on their country, while the North Africans thought of their migration as reparations for generations of colonial rule. With tensions running high, there were multiple face riots, specifically in the outside suburbs of Paris. Many of these riots claimed victims from young boys to the destruction of cultural landmarks like Arab owned businesses.
After the 9/11 attacks in the US, resentment for Arabs in France grew larger and larger. Many French people believed that Arabic and French culture were in complete contradiction and in fact, could not coexist together in one nation. Lynchings and violence incited by french police made it very apparent that Arabs were not welcomed in the french social sphere. However, this was challenged by many Arab-french icons like Cheb Khalid and Camelia Jordana, both famous musical artists, creating a way for Arabs in French pop-culture. The existence of this meshed culture between the two lead to a realization that there was this whole generation that felt like they were too Arab to be French, yet too French to be Arab. This unique amalgamated culture found its way into French popular culture and their existence became apparent with every accomplishment they reached.
One of the main conflicts between the Arab and French culture is the use of hijabs and the notion of “modesty” amongst Arab woman. Because French public life prohibits any prominent use of a symbol of religion, the hijab has become increasingly controversial as its seen to violate these rules. However, in the Islamic faith, the hijab is seen as necessary and simply part of the wardrobe. This conflict between the two has lead to the ban of hijabs and specifically, burkinis (the hijab version of a bikini) out in public. Many Muslims and Arabs saw this as a racist attack on their religion and identity and an infringement on their freedom of choice. Cities in the south of France, like Nice, have become the battleground for this controversy with a huge variation in public opinion on the matter. As France continues to navigate this complicated relationship between the exclusion and inclusion of Arab French peoples, it raises many questions on the intersections between freedom of choice and racism in French culture. However, things are progressing as there are many reforms in place to educate the French public on Arab culture and Islamic identity.
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