Generational change and political participation in French suburbs

Abstract This article takes the urban context of French suburbs as the point of departure for a portrayal of the evolution of political participation among immigrants and their descendants. France's first major influx of foreign workers were men on their own, supplying the labour needed for post‐war regeneration. These men were often members of the trade unions but active polical involvement did not materialise until major conflicts emerged over housing and employment issues in the 1970s. These disputes came to be seen as the birth of immigrants’ political participation, with the Portugese initially taking the lead. As this group gradually acquired middle‐class status and values, the Mahgrebians came to the fore. Freedom of association was granted to immigrants in 1981 and provided a crucial means of organisation in a decade which saw the issue of immigration acquire an increasingly high profile. These associations often have a local neighbourhood base and frequently serve a dual purpose by acting as stepping‐stones to entrepreneurial activity. A generational divide is now becoming apparent, where the older generation is perceived as having taken the lead to the detriment of younger people's involvement. Simultanously a rift appeared between the highly localised associative movements and the large national organisations like France Plus and SOS‐Racisme.