October 2005 Riots in France

This post was originally going to be "Modern French Identity, Enlightenment, Revolution."

Riots are not an unusual occurrence in France; they generally last for two or three days, do minimal damage, and fade from the news after a week.[i] However, in October and November of 2005, France experienced a twenty-day riot that began in Clichy and spread through 200 towns in France. As the police in the banlieue used unwarranted violence on peaceful protestors, the intensity of the country-wide riots increased. During those two months of protest 10,000 cars went up in flames, 250 public buildings were destroyed, and insurance companies recorded 200 million euros in property damages.[ii]

It would have been tempting for white French citizens to link these riots to delinquency or depravity. After all, two factors were encouraging this mindset as the riots were taking place. The Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy (now the president of France) called the rioters hooligans, scum, and criminals who were “well known to the police.”[iii] Second, Sarkozy and other public figures maintained that the riots were spreading due to a “copy-cat effect” where minority youth were hearing about the riots in Clichy, either on the television or through rap music, and were attempting to imitate the rioting techniques they learned. A black French rapper named Monsieur R discounted the claim that rap caused the riots in France, and offered his observations:

“Just by the way they look at you they [police] give you the feeling that you are a second-class citizen, even if you were born here. Children are stopped for inspection five times, just on the way from their home to the metro! And I’m talking of a walking distance of less than 10 minutes. . . . Today in France the police logic is simple. . . . Here, if you’re black or Arab, it doesn’t matter if you have money or a good job, you’ll remain black or Arab your whole life.”[iv]

[i] Oberti, Marco. “The French reupublican model of integration: The theory of cohesion and the practice of exclusion.” New Directions for Youth Development 2008.119 (2008): 55-74. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 30 Jan. 2010.

[ii] Jobard, Fabien. "Rioting as a Political Tool: the 2005 Riots in France." Howard Journal of Criminal Justice 48.3 (2009): 235-244. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 20 Jan. 2010.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Schneider, Cathy Lisa. "Police Power and Race Riots in Paris." Politics & Society 36.1 (2008): 133-159. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 26 Jan. 2010.

Who Do the French Think They Are?

Thinking about France inevitably conjures up some stereotypical images:

-baguettes as tall as children
-striped shirts and berets
-Gérard Depardieu's strong nose
-men playing the accordian
-French fries
-haute couture and Fashion Week
-war memorials
-crêpes smothered in Nutella
-picnics by the Eiffel Tower
-frog legs
-mimes

While those images may represent France from a Western perspective, they are a shallow glimpse at what the country values.

On November 3, 2009, President Nicolas Sarkozy launched a website called "National Identity Debate" and asked French citizens to participate in the "Great Debate" on French national identity. President Sarkozy asked citizens to post their thoughts about immigration, French values, and what "national identity" implies. Two weeks after Sarkozy's announcement, there were 32,000 contributions to the website (Ganley).

According to these contributions, the French are concerned with:
-the preservation of the pure French language, as dictated by the French Academy
-the protection of regional identities, such as cuisine and profession
-Catholicism as the foundation of social values
-the appreciation of national symbols (flag, anthem, etc.) and French history
-social taboos (circumcision, homosexuality, etc.)
-how to respectfully share values with immigrants

Nicolas Sarkozy said that, "France is a nation of tolerance and respect, but it also asks to be respected." One cannot appreciate living in France "without respecting any of its laws, any of its values, any of its principles." In other words, the French people would argue that their ideals are responsible for France's lure, and without adopting those ideals, immigrants would not be benefiting from France.

Readers, what do you think it means to be French?

Is it unreasonable for the French to impose their historic values on immigrants?

Keep those questions in your mind. Next week, we'll get into the good stuff.




Ganley, Elaine. "France wrestles with national identity," Contra Costa Times, 27 November 2009, p AA9.

“Would-be migrants must undergo classes in what it means to be French,” International Herald Tribune, 09 August 2007.

Blog Plan

Persuasive Intent and Audience
During the Winter 2010 semester at Brigham Young University, this blog will focus on how France is being affected--socially, economically, and culturally--by non-European immigration. I will highlight some of my direct experience with the French people and immigrants in Paris, explain deeply-rooted French traditions and customs, and draw upon current events. My target audience is composed of French Studies majors, opinionated French natives, and curious travelers.

Blog Name
The French Identity Crisis

Blog Site
www.french-identity.blogspot.com

Frequency
I plan to post once a week, on the Fridays outlined below. I will try to finish my posts before 5 pm (MST), so that my readers will have access to my new post before the weekend.

January 22
Who Do the French Think They Are?:
An Introduction to Tradition and Custom

January 29
The Modern French Identity:
Values from the Enlightenment and French Revolution

February 5
Current Policies and Politics of Immigration into France

February 12
Increased Diversity Due to Non-European Immigrants:
A Look at Muslim Immigration Trends from 1945-Present

February 19
Social, Cultural, and Economic Integration of Minorities

February 26
Jacobin Republicanism vs. Cultural Pluralism

March 5
President Sarkozy's "Conversations":
The Influence of Switzerland and the Muslim Minaret Referendum

March 12
The French: Pride or Fear?

*Advance notice will be given if blog themes are subject to change.

Images
Being able to see France is essential to understanding the values of the French people. In this blog, I will be posting some of my personal photos and videos of France, as well as a series of caricatures. I will host my media on Photobucket or Flickr. Should I wish to post photographs by another artist, I will credit them accordingly.

Length
Depending on the week, my posts will range between 300-700 words.

Hyperlinks
In preparation for writing on my blog, I will be following current events in France and other blogs of a similar subject. I will share my findings with my reader by including hyperlinks in my posts.

Twitter Integration
My twitter name is meibotts. I will be using twitter to converse with individuals who are also concerned with my topic. I will re-tweet pertinent posts.