A Two Pronged Approach for France and its Muslims: Integration and Assimilation

Transcription

1 C o m m e n t a r y A Two Pronged Approach for France and its Muslims: Integration and Assimilation Introduction B y Br y a n Grove s Riots and fires riddled France during 2005 and again in Youth and immigrants protested their poor economic situation and what they believed to be unfair government policies and treatment by police. The heart of France s recent problems with Muslim immigrants is the French societal view that places them outside of French society. As demonstrated in Illustration One, the current French psyche views Muslim immigrants as non-contributors, living inside France, but outside the French societal spectrum. This presents French Muslims with unique challenges. Although other factors are also at work, as long as Muslim immigrants remain outside French society, any contributions they make are lost on native French society. As Illustration One illustrates, if Muslim immigrants are moved to within the French societal framework, even if initially at the bottom, their contributions will impact French natives. Likewise, they will then enjoy the opportunity to experience upward mobility within France. Until France effects the Muslim community s transition from being secondary players outside the system to members of the system, they will be marginalized and their opportunities will be minimal. This situation presents French citizens with a dilemma between holding onto traditional French culture in its entirety and enlarging its perspective to meet the challenges of a new era. Bryan Groves graduated from the Yale International Relations program in May 2008 with a focus in Security and European Studies. A Major in the United States Army, he graduated from West Point in 1998 and is an Airborne Ranger and a Green Beret. He has served with Special Forces in Iraq and Bosnia, is on the governing board for Officers Christian Fellowship, and is beginning an assignment teaching International Relations at West Point. 109 note: The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Department of the Army, the U.S. Military Academy, or any other U.S. government entity. Spring Summer 2008

2 BrYan Groves A Multifaceted Problem In addition to the social challenges, there is also an economic dimension to the problem. The economic disparity between French natives and the Arab immigrant community is large. The unemployment rate for people of French origin is nine percent, but fourteen percent for those of foreign descent. For those with university degrees, unemployment is five percent overall, but twenty-seven percent among North African university graduates. 1 One Arab journalist, Nadir Dendoune, described his perception of this part of the problem in the following manner. You feel you will never make it because you are Arab. 2 French people are weary of immigrants because they fear they will lose their jobs. A March 2000 survey indicated that a majority of citizens thought immigration causes unemployment to rise, 3 a perception that increases during periods of economic recession. 4 The increased stress of economic hardship, or the potential of it, fuels negative stereotypes and inhibits natives reception of immigrants. Third, France s integration and assimilation of Muslim immigrants has a religious component. The influx of radical imams who preach hate or advocate for acting on that hate through violent means is a national security threat. 5 France needs a positive alternative to these imams and needs to prevent extremist imams from preaching in French mosques. A related problem is that in Islam no formal training is necessary to be an imam. 6 That means the Muslim community will not necessarily view trained imams more favorably than non-trained imams. An alternative training venue which engrains a liberal Islamic perspective will only be effective if the imams trained by it are given the opportunity to serve as imams upon completion of their training. Recommendations There are two fundamental aspects to the incorporation of legal Muslim immigrants into French society. The first is their integration and the second is their assimilation. The first refers to their acceptance by native-born French citizens. The second refers to their individual acceptance and adoption of French culture. The French government cannot control either of these entirely, but it can influence the first and set favorable conditions which will increase the likelihood of the second. The policies France implements, therefore, must aim to positively impact one or both of these conditions. 110 Yale Journal of International Affairs the Sarkozy administration should focus on developing policies that encourage job creation, a new social perspective, and greater religious toleration.

3 A Two Pronged Approach for France and its muslims There are a number of areas in which France can improve its current policies. The Sarkozy administration should focus on developing policies that encourage job creation, a new social perspective, and greater religious toleration. Using these methods and select civic measures, the French government will be able to purposefully and successfully begin the full integration of French Muslim immigrants. Job creation is a crucial step in improving the economic, and subsequently the social prospects, of Muslim immigrants. Low skill jobs are the most important. Muslim youth are an excellent fit for these types of jobs because they will take them. The high unemployment rate among these communities, the low education level, and the hard life many experienced in their native countries cause them to be open to jobs that many French natives would not want, though this varies somewhat by generation. France also needs people to fill low skill, low wage jobs because of its ageing issue. 7 UN and INSEE (Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques) estimates indicate that at current fertility rates one-third of the French population will be over sixty years old and eighty to eighty-five percent will be twenty years or older in These figures signal a need for France to increase its youth population and primary labor force through increased fertility rates and immigration. The French can cater to Muslim immigrants and their need for jobs, improving the latter s economic status and bringing them into the French societal framework as important laborers, while having their own needs met simultaneously. The administration should contract private firms to conduct renewal projects to rebuild the banlieue (city suburbs). 9 The government should encourage the firms involved to hire the Muslim immigrants who live in the banlieue as a portion of their labor force. Hiring them provides immigrants work and the company with individuals who have a personal incentive to see the job done well and rapidly. To hire immigrants, though, will require adjustment of restrictive labor codes that do so much to keep poor immigrants not least poor Muslim immigrants from finding work and integrating themselves into French life." 10 In some instances the loosening of labor codes will encourage people to move to find employment. As Muslim immigrants move in greater numbers, more intermixing of residential areas will occur. This will facilitate furthering the integration process at home as well as at work. Loosening the labor laws already tried once and rejected by the people will require a proactive public relations campaign to overcome the significant left-right Spring Summer

4 BrYan Groves divide. Those most opposed to loosening the labor laws are those on the left, yet they are the same ones who are generally favorable to the Muslim population. Hence, bridging this gap is realistic but will require substantial political negotiation. On the religious front of integration, the 2003 creation of the Conseil Français du Culte Musulman is an initial step in the right direction. The council has begun an imam training program which offers a moderate perspective on Islam. Because of the lack of moderate alternatives outside of the training centers France has established, the country s second step should be to expand the number of these sites. 11 The third step is to encourage the French Muslim community to utilize the imams trained by these centers. This step is especially important because community acceptance is more important to the Muslim community than is formal religious training. 12 The monitoring of all mosques is a fourth measure that helps the overall objective of preventing a radical Islamic message from being perpetuated within France. 13 Lastly, when radical Imams do preach extremist messages, French enforcement measures must be handled appropriately and legally, with discrimination and after gathering substantial evidence. Government failure in this area risks reinforcing the perception of police prejudice and hence further alienating the segment of the population it is attempting to integrate. Certain civic measures can also make a difference over time and when implemented in conjunction with one another. One of these is the enforcement of compulsory primary and secondary school education. France has already implemented this, making school mandatory until the age of sixteen. 14 Other potential methods include providing individual incentives to Muslims to earn French citizenship, to attend and graduate from institutions of higher education, 15 to move outside the banlieue, 16 to vote, to run for office, and to participate in government and public service at all levels. France also needs immigration offices at local levels throughout the country, whose purpose would be to assist all immigrants with their transition to living in France. In conjunction with these offices, France should start an informal and voluntary sponsorship program through which any immigrant can receive ongoing, personalized assistance from a current French citizen. This system would provide opportunities for interaction where cooperation is important. This could motivate natives and immigrants to move past their differences to find common ground and help immigrants adapt to the local culture. It could also make it more difficult for natives to continue negative stereotyping. While some natives may still have very real concerns about losing their jobs, any interaction that fosters positive relationships will help 112 Yale Journal of International Affairs

5 A Two Pronged Approach for France and its muslims mitigate that. Finally, France should publicly celebrate French heroes from all backgrounds. The government needs to be more vocal about telling the success stories of Muslims alongside those of French natives. The captain of the French national soccer team, Zinedine Zidane, is one such story. Zidane is of Algerian descent and is a perfect example of a successful French Muslim. 17 Zidane may be the most well known French Muslim, but among the five million Muslims in the country, there are surely many other great success stories worth telling beyond that of members of the national soccer team. Making some of these known in meaningful ways is a great way to demonstrate to all Muslims that the government values them as productive members of French society. It is also a great method by which to begin changing native French perceptions of Muslims in general and Muslim immigrants in particular. Conclusion Despite the challenges, integration of and assimilation by Muslim immigrants into French culture can occur. Armenian immigrants provide just one of multiple France should start an informal and voluntary s p o n s o r s h i p p ro g r a m t h r o u g h w h i c h a n y immigrant can receive ongoing, personalized assistance from a current French citizen. success stories from France s rich history of integrating immigrants. Reflection on their story offers hope for the successful integration and assimilation of Muslim immigrants. The Armenian community has found a way to adopt French culture while maintaining a strong sense of its own historical identity and cultural specificity." 18 The Armenian example demonstrates that immigrants to France can become French without abandoning their cultural, religious, or historical identity. Sarkozy s election and the creation of the Ministère de l Immigration, de l Intégration, de l Identité Nationale, et du Développement solidaire, offer more hope for this situation and a fresh start for France. One can reasonably argue that President Sarkozy is not the best person to implement the new ministry and the changes I suggest because of actions he took during the riots when he was head of the Ministre de l Intérieur et de l Aménagement du Territoire. However, while past governmental administrations were reticent to address the Muslim question, President Sarkozy quickly followed through on his campaign promise to create a new ministry department to handle illegal immigration, better integrating newcomers and protecting French identity. 19 " Spring Summer

6 BrYan Groves President Sarkozy s proactive approach offers hope that the French government is setting up an organization that will focus the necessary priority and resources on the appropriate components of the problem. Successful integration and assimilation of Muslim immigrants, however, will require more than another government bureau. It will involve economic, social, and religious dimensions. It will require both political actions by the government and actions by French citizens and Muslim immigrants. Throughout the multigenerational process, leadership will continue to be an important piece of the effort. Politicians at all levels will need to hear from immigrants as projects are started to ensure that immigrant needs are met. Adjustments will need to be made as shortfalls are noticed. The overall vision must be one of French unity and inclusiveness, as depicted by Illustration Two. It must demonstrate that President Sarkozy and Minister Hortefeux understand immigrants needs and that they desire to provide them with a better life. They must communicate hope while reminding the French people that the integration process is a long one, but one that can be successfully embarked on and realized with their support. Y -Claire Morelon and Maryam Shahabi served as lead editors for this article. 114 Yale Journal of International Affairs

7 A Two Pronged Approach for France and its muslims NOTES 1 Henri Astier, French Muslims Face Job Discrimination, November 2, 2005, available at world/europe/ stm, accessed December 13, Ibid. 3 Walter Nonneman, Migration Policy Institute: The Transatlantic Task Force on Immigration and Integration, European Immigration and the Labor Market, July 2007, available at migrationinformation.org/transatlantic/immigrationeulabormarket_72507.pdf, accessed November 30, Joel S. Fetzer. Public Attitudes toward Immigration in the United States, France, and Germany, University Press, Cambridge, 2000, p Professor Joseph Kickasola, during a lecture in his Quranic Law class at Regent University, November 27, France s Muslim Integration Efforts are Incomplete, January 31, 2006, Oxford Analytica, available at forbes.com/2006/01/30/france-muslim-integrate_cx_0131oxford.html 7 Georges Tapinos, Expert Group Meeting on Policy Responses to Population Ageing and Population Decline, UN Secretariat, Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations Secretariat, September 29, accessed December 8, , available at 8 Ibid. 9 Celine Tricard, Maryam Shahabi, and Claire Morelon, French citizens, in interviews November 30, 2007 and April 23, 2008 at Yale University. 10 Matthew Kaminski, To Keep the Banlieue From Burning, October 26, 2006, Wall Street Journal online [WSJ.com], available at accessed November 21, Professor Joseph Kickasola, during a lecture in his Quranic Law class at Regent University, November 27, France s Muslim Integration Efforts are Incomplete, January 31, 2006, Oxford Analytica, available at accessed November 21, Matthew Kaminski, To Keep the Banlieue From Burning, October 26, 2006, Wall Street Journal online [WSJ.com], available at 14 Celine Tricard, a French citizen and Yale International Relations graduate student, in an interview November 30, 2007 at Yale University. 15 Professor Ted Bromund of Yale University in an interview November 27, Eugen Weber, Peasants Into Frenchmen: The Modernization of Rural France, , Stanford University Press, Stanford, 1979, p Nazrul Islam, French Soccer Star Zidane to Visit Bangladesh in November, July 7, 2007, available at accessed December 3, Dorothée Schmid, The Centre for Economic and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM), The Franco-Turkish Relationship in Turmoil, January 2007, p. viii, available at accessed November 20, Matthew Kaminski, To Keep the Banlieue From Burning, October 26, 2006, Wall Street Journal online [WSJ.com], available at accessed December 2, Spring Summer