Participants in the Study Day begin by examining the causes of the disturbance, followed by a historical and comparative approach (UK) to the phenomenon. Public debates provide a view on the roles played by the mayors of the cities concerned, the impact of urban renovation policy, and the relevance of statistics indices. The roles of public actors (police, mediators, politicians, etc.) are examined in another session. Lastly, the French model of integration is placed under the microscope, and a new round table begun on the outlook for the future.

The urban violence that took place in November 2005 was without precedent in France, whether in terms of extent, duration, or intensity. By the time the Study Day was organised three months later, the participants had enough perspective on the situation to begin an analysis, starting with observations and testimonials and moving on to root out the causes.

Some fifteen experts, specialising in suburban areas and disadvantaged neighbourhoods, came together to participate in this Study Day. The day was divided into four major themes (“The root of the problem”, “Social disturbances, riots or insurrection? A historical and comparative approach”, “The role of public actors”, “The French integration model under the microscope”) and organised into two debates and two round tables, thus covering the entire range of social, historical and political aspects of the November crisis.

The debates and round table discussions reveal a sort of institutional and cultural stagnation in France, thus calling into question the French integration “model”.

From a historical point of view, the government’s intervention during the “Trente Glorieuses” period (poor housing policy management, no real integration policy) largely defined the areas where violence would later erupt in 2005.

From a social perspective, the roles played by mediators and women, and especially mothers, have been underestimated and need to assume their rightful place. France is a multicultural society, and it has become crucial to raise awareness of this reality in order to confront the persistent threat of discrimination.

SCIENCES PO
Gérard Grunberg (Assistant manager and scientific director at Sciences Po), tel. +33 1 01 45 49 72 21

01/03/2006

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CEVIPOF (Political research centre at Science Po), SCIENCES PO (Institute of Political Studies in Paris), CSO (Centre for research on firms and industrial organisations), CNRS (National Centre for Scientific Research)

research

Urban Policy > Security & crime prevention > Anti-crime policy

Riots