Category: Dialogue with Migration

Right after the French Revolution, it was rather simple to define someone as French or, in other words, as part of the French nation. With a fairly uniform society composed of French-speaking, catholic, français de souche citizens, there was little to no discussion that they were as “French” as one could be. Nevertheless, what French… Continue reading What does it mean “to be French”?

With the new conception of the French Republic came the debate of who will form part of the French nation and thus, who would be considered French. Before the Revolution, jus soli—every man born in French territory is automatically French—was the main criterion for nationality law in France (Sahlins 2004). Nevertheless, the Revolution broke from… Continue reading French Citizenship: From jus soli to jus sanguinis

To understand French political values, it is necessary to explore the principles set out after the French Revolution—the principles by which authorities enacted the ban of religious symbols in public. In 1789, French society underwent a revolution that changed the notion of what defined the French nation (Encyclopedia Britannica). Frenchmen saw the complete disengagement of… Continue reading The Beginning of a New Era: The French Revolution

Sebastian Cordero Velastegui Liberté, Egalité et Fraternité” or “Laïcité, Egalité et Fraternité?” That is the question. To think of French migration as a monolithic phenomenon is simplistic; due the country’s history and its peculiar notion of nationality, the integration of its immigrants is more complex than in other nations. In the words of Simon Patrick,… Continue reading The Muslim Ban in France

Agergaard, Sine, et al. “The Typology of Athletic Migrants Revisited.” Women, Soccer and Transnational Migration, 1st ed., Routledge, London, 2016, pp. 191–216. Arfi, Fabrice, et al. “Quotas Dans Le Foot: La Vérité Au Mot Près.” Mediapart, Mediapart, 9 May 2011, https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/france/290411/quotas-dans-le-foot-la-verite-au-mot-pres. (Mediapart) Aziz, Shaista. “Opinion: France Is on a Dangerous Collision Course with Its Muslim… Continue reading The Road to Glory: References

Sports, a major vehicle for expression and a big source of global entertainment, can become very influential in the migration journey of many people. As seen in Fatou Diome’s Le ventre de l’Atlantique, a career in soccer and the luxury that comes with it become extra incentives for many migrants to head out to Europe.… Continue reading The Road to Glory: Conclusion

A goal, whether on the pitch or migration across continents, drives migrants to undergo a difficult journey to Europe. For athletes, the goal is to be at the pinnacle of their respective sport. For migrants, that goal is to make a better life for themselves in the host country. For many athletes who migrate to… Continue reading The Road to Glory: The European Myth

Integration, defined by the Oxford Dictionary, is “the bringing into equal membership of a common society those groups or persons previously discriminated against on racial or cultural grounds” (OED). In terms of migration, it can also be defined as how well a migrant can become a part of the established culture and society of the… Continue reading The Road to Glory: Obstacles to Integration

For migrants, the journey does not stop upon arrival in Europe. To pursue the dreams and expectations with which they set out is a challenge in itself. As seen with l’homme de Barbés, the reality of what migrant athletes find in Europe does not match the “myth”. Sports can be very unforgiving in this aspect,… Continue reading The Road to Glory: Make or Break

Emanuel Muñoz-Barillas Soccer, or football as the rest of the world calls it, is a global phenomenon. Due to the low cost of playing the sport, soccer can be played by anyone all over the world. Especially popular in the southern hemisphere,  many aspiring athletes dream of playing for the top teams in Europe. In… Continue reading The Road to Glory: Introduction