The suburban challenge to the nation. French nation and citizens of immigrant descent in France : ghettos, national identity, postcolonial issues.

Jérémy Robine

The 2007 presidential election mostly revolved around the national identity issue. This dissertation aims at demonstrating how a geographic phenomenon - the constitution of « ghettos » located at the periphery of major French cities - contributed to shape a new national identity issue. France faces severe challenges in terms of national cohesion and minority integration, particularly of Arab and black French people, that can be traced to the « ghettos ». Those challenges will be analyzed through two detailed case studies : the November 2005 riots and their media coverage and a local engagement with the grassroots organizaton ACLEFEU. In addition, the author has conducted extensive field work, interviewing with local actors and close monitoring of various political movements. This dissertation also gives an overview of the different advocacy groups and grassroots organizations involved in the national identity debate and discusses the concept of a « postcolonial issue » in France.