This entry will be in English due to the complexity of the topic (Leo can only handle so much!). The immigration situation in France harbors notable contrasts to that in Germany. Although both Germany and France colonized other areas around the world, France has received monumentally more immigrants from previous colonies than Germany. Kirstin explained this difference to me today, and I wanted to highlight it in my blog post. Hundreds of thousands of people from Africa–especially Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria–now live in France, infusing the country with a unique cosmopolitan identity. Walking around Paris, approximately 1 in every 12 or so people has very dark skin, but it’s important to note how these people have found niches in society over time. Even though most of the African French people walking around town did not themselves make the voyage from Africa, a parallel society is still evident.
When, in the 1900’s, many Africans moved to France, they resided in enclaves; they did not seamlessly intermingle with the rest of French society. In other words, de facto segregation prevailed, as de jure segregation polarized the United States. Today in the US, discussions of processes such as affirmative action beg the question of how modern America should remunerate for past oppression of various minorities, such as Native and African Americans. Additionally, many minority groups in the US are still trapped in cyclical poverty. The situation in France is quite comparable. Many African immigrants, coupled with refugees and immigrants from other areas, live in slum-like conditions on the outskirts of major urban centers, Paris included. Education in these areas is, as in poorer minority neighborhood areas in the US, inferior, and alcoholism and crime rates are higher than the rest of the population (many slums are even “no go” areas for the police). Many occupants do not even have French passports and speak fractured French. Every French president before Macron vowed to integrate these people, but none of these efforts came to fruition, indicating the extent to which race (and consequently, socioeconomic) divisions are ingrained into societal mechanics. It is no coincidence that every single one of the vendors near Versailles and the Eiffel Tower had dark skin. That is not to say that many African French fail to prosper in France, because many successfully break into the mainstream, but many others still suffer the reverberating legacy of colonialism. Therefore, just as in countries around the world, one cannot define a country by its Arc de Triomphe, its Statue of Liberty. Both the shining sites and the dark, destitute underbellies fuse within a nation’s identity.
Note: Since yesterday was a holiday in Germany (Ascension Day), there is no work/school today.
