Muslims of France: Colonials, Immigrants and Citizens
Al Jazeera has a very interesting series on Muslims in France by filmmaker Karim Miské. They ask:
Today, there are an estimated five million Muslims living in France. A century ago, they were referred to as “colonials”. During the 1960s, they were known as “immigrants”. Today, they are “citizens”. But how have the challenges facing each generation of immigrants changed?
The first part of the series tells the story of the 5,000 Muslims who by 1904 were working on the shop floors of Paris, in the soap factories of Marseilles and in the coalfields of the north; of the Muslim soldiers who fought and died for France during the First World War; and the Muslim members of the resistance who helped liberate Paris in 1944. Born as North Africans, many would die for France. But how much did post-war France care about their sacrifices?
The second part of the series explores post-Second World War immigration and reveals a generation of Muslims who, far from expecting to one day return home, began building their lives and communities in France.
The third and final part of the series tells the stories of the young Muslims who grew up in France and entered adulthood at a time of economic crisis, massive unemployment and rampant social problems.
The series is very useful I think for teaching purposes. I will consider using it next year.
All info on the episodes taken from the Al Jazeera site
