French Colonialism in Algeria: War, Legacy, and Memory

Over the course of my research for my honors thesis project, I sought to better understand the history of French colonialism in Algeria in addition to how it is remembered today. I theorized that the legacy of this history impacts issues of immigration exclusion, islamophobia, racism, and social discrimination faced by Algerians in modern day France. These issues have become important topics of discussion and investigation in the wake of the recent terrorist attacks carried out by descendants of North African immigrants in the heart of hexagonal France. Through the study of primary and secondary sources, as well as a study of colonial theory and modern-day media outlets, I have found that the way the colonialism and the war for independence in Algeria are remembered, or forgotten, has directly impacted the sense of alienation French citizens of Algerian heritage struggle with in the twenty-first century. The colonial system of discrimination present in Algeria from 1830 to 1962 has be reformulated in modern day France, and the legacy of violence form that time period has come back to haunt Europe. My research not only seeks to shed light on how this history has been manipulated and hidden, but also to show how France has arrived at a moment of heightened right-wing politics and radical terrorism