Colonial Algeria and the Politics of Citizenship

This book explores citizenship politics in colonial Algeria, showing how colonialism dissolved the political community and racialized citizenship, leading to hostile conceptions of citizenship. Despite this, Algeria witnessed powerful contestations of racialized citizenship, such as the Jewish campaign for full political rights and Muslims' demand for reform.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 23 February 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This book delves into the intricate realm of citizenship politics in colonial Algeria, which emerged as a pivotal battleground for contests over the participation of the body politic and the scope of universal promises in 1789. Through a comprehensive examination of these struggles, Avner Ofrath sheds light on how colonialism dismantled the political community as a framework for engagement and negotiation, initially in the colonies and subsequently in the metropole. By revealing the racialization of citizenship that began to take shape in the late 19th century, this book underscores how lawmakers during the Third French Republic interpreted colonial subjugation through rigid ethnic-religious criteria, aimed at safeguarding settler privileges and excluding Algerian Muslims. This portrayal of Islam as oppressive and unmodern led to the exclusion and othering of Muslims, resulting in a conception of citizenship that was deeply hostile to religious differences.

Yet, Colonial Algeria and the Politics of Citizenship presents a remarkable testament to the resilience and determination of Algerians in their quest for inclusive citizenship. Despite the obstacles posed by racialized citizenship, Algerians steadfastly insisted on the importance of Maghribi languages, religions, and history as integral components of political life. From a successful Jewish campaign for full political rights in the 1860s to the Muslims' demands for reform in the 1930s, Algerians tirelessly advocated for their cultural and religious identities. Avner Ofrath skillfully weaves Algeria into a broader global history of citizenship in the age of empire, tracing intellectual and political networks across the Maghrib, the Mashriq, and the Mediterranean. Through his meticulous research and insightful analysis, Ofrath provides a rich and nuanced understanding of the complexities and challenges faced by colonial societies in the pursuit of inclusive citizenship.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350260023