Insiders and Outsiders: The Historiography of Immigration in France

Abstract The history of immigration has become a dynamic subfield of French history since the 1970s. We examine its origins in both academic and activist milieus, and we consider its development in relation to some of the most important civic debates that have animated the French public sphere. In particular, we explore how histories of immigration expose some of the central concerns of modern French history – about the boundaries of citizenship, the power of the state, and the revolutionary potential of those who are kept on the margins of Frenchness. We also discuss the relationship between French and foreign scholars of immigration, and, by way of conclusion, we consider the future of a field that faces threats from a growing political backlash to immigration.