Jews, Muslims, and the French Republic

France was the first nation in Europe to proclaim the universal rights of man and to rein in the power of an established church, but nevertheless has had chronic problems with religious minorities. This book explores the complex, triangular relationship between the French Republic, Jews, and Muslims. It is the first book to compare the experience of French Jews and Muslims over the longue durée, tracing their experiences and interactions in both metropolitan France and the colonies under the evolving regime of laïcité. This historical and comparative approach does more than illuminate past and current tensions—it suggests how they may be resolved. The French elections of 2022 witnessed efforts by the extreme right to focus its campaign not only on immigration and Islamic extremism but on the alleged incompatibility of Islam with French values. But if there is a “Muslim problem” in France today, that does not mean that French Muslims are necessarily its cause, any more than that Jews were responsible for the existence of a “Jewish Question” in nineteenth and early twentieth century Europe. If some French Muslims are not well integrated in French society and are ambivalent about their relationship to the Republic, much of the reason lies in long term historical and social factors. These factors cannot be dismissed as “mere history;” they continue to shape attitudes and behavior; historical memory must be reckoned with. The Jewish experience in France, particularly antisemitism, provides a template to understand the similarities and differences in the way France has treated Jews and Muslims. Historical examination also helps to explain tensions between French Jews and Muslims today. Existing literature does not adequately address this triangular relationship. There are few books which compare the historical experience of French Jews and Muslims and none which do so for the entire period since the French Revolution. Likewise, what happened in metropolitan France and in the colonies is usually considered separately. Yet the roots of France’s problems with Jews and Muslims derive in large part from the colonial experience. This book situates contemporary problems of antisemitism, islamophobia, and Jewish-Muslim tensions in the broader context of French history and politics. Jews, Muslims, and the French Republic will interest academics, students and a broader public concerned with France, Jews, Muslims, post-colonialism, political extremism, immigration, and religion in a secular society.