In October and November 2005, the emeutes (riots) in the Parisian banlieues re-stated the existing social conflicts between second and third immigrants from former North African French colonies and the French state. These instances of violence brought to life memories of colonialism and of the Algerian War, conveniently forgotten by the French officials. Moreover, the emeutes questioned the effectiveness of various social, economic and educational policies meant to erase de boundaries between immigrants and French citizens. Most importantly, the emeutes, seen as moments of vulnerability for the immigrant populations in France, reframed the relation between the Algerian Diasporas in France and the nation of emigration, Algeria.

Considering the unequal historical relation between France, the colonizer, and Algeria, the colonized, can the North African state protect the Algerians who are no longer inside the national borders? What is the role of the national media in advancing the interests of different diasporic groups at times of intense discrimination or injustice abroad?

One way to answer these questions and the approach I will take in this presentation is to look at discourses constructed by the mass media of the country of emigration at moments when the diasporic communities are “in danger” and to account for the role of these discourses in weakening or strengthening the ties between the diaspora and the national community. This paper looks particularly at the Algerian case, analyzing the narratives constructed by the French media during the 2005 emeutes and the responses formulated by Algerian newspapers, engaged in a dialogic relation with the French media. By exploring the discourses in the French and Algerian press on the causes, actors, and development of the emeutes, I hope to shed some light on the ways in which Algeria (represented in this paper by the national media) responds to the needs and protects the rights of the Algerians in France.

Updated: You can read the full essay here.

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Irina Mihalache
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