Paris

Paris, home to a varied population of more than two million people, is a city of immigration. 30 percent of the migrant population are European, while the majority (70 percent) come from outside Europe—24 percent from North Africa, 2 percent Turkey, and 13 percent Sub-Saharan Africa.

During World War I, migrants from North Africa came to Paris as soldiers and factory workers. Immigration from North Africa increased after the independence of Algeria in 1962, when public authorities authorized immigration to meet the needs of the French economy. Migrants from former French colonies in Sub-Saharan Africa also came to Paris in this period. They were largely employed as cleaners, street-sweepers, or subway cleaning attendants.

In 1974 labor migration ended and the law allowed the families of workers to join them in France. The 1980s saw an increase in migrants—including Sri Lankans and Pakistanis—fleeing violence and war in their home countries.

No data is collected on the basis of religion, but (presumably largely Muslim) populations from the Maghreb, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Turkey represent almost 50 percent of the immigrant population in the region. This strong presence is reinforced by these immigrants’ descendants, on which no accurate data is available. Available figures show that Parisian suburbs have the highest proportion of Muslims in France.

The At Home in Europe: Muslims in Paris report focuses on the 18th district of Paris, in particular the neighborhood of La Goutte d’Or. The population of the 18th is 192,056 people. The defining feature of the district is the high proportion of foreigners in comparison to the rest of the city. It is considered one of the most representative places for ethnic and religious diversity in Paris and is home to the newly created Institut de Cultures d’Islam. La Goutte d'Or is traditionally a working-class neighborhood, with a great number of inhabitants of North African and African origin. It is one the most cosmopolitan neighborhoods, known for a vibrant cultural and community life.

The focus on La Goutte d’Or allows for a more nuanced understanding of the interaction between residents and policymakers where Muslims form a higher proportion of the population than within the city or state as a whole. A study of the local level also examines whether these demographic circumstances at the district and neighborhood level have encouraged the development of practical solutions to social policies that respond to the needs and views of local Muslim populations.