Identity in Algerian politics : the legacy of colonial rule

J.N.C. Hill explores the multiple causes of two decades of profound political change, social and economic upheaval, and bitter conflict in postindependence Algeria. Hill focuses on the relationship between identity and sociopolitical stability as he examines the trajectory of Algerian nation building. How did French colonization and the war of liberation transform Algerian identities? How has the contestation of national identity contributed to the instability that emerged in the late 1980s? What part has the rise of Islamism and Berberism played? What has been the role of foreign actors? Addressing these questions, as well as theimpact of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Hill argues that how the Algerian government defines the nation is inextricably linked to its ability now and in the future to maintain political and social stability. Book Title Table of Contents Acknowledgments 1-Introduction Notes 2-French Colonial Rule and Its Enduring Legacies Nationalism and Nation Building in Africa French Colonial Policy and Doctrine Invasion, Conquest, and Resistance: The Battle for Algeria Assimilation and the Mission Civilisatrice: Turning Algerians into Frenchmen Notes 3-Algerian Nationalism and the War of Liberation Resistance and Nationalism in the Twentieth Century The War of Liberation Notes 4-Independence and the Challenges of Nation Building A House Divided Against Itself The Nation-Building Process Under Ahmed Ben Bella The Nation-Building Process Under Houari Boumedienne The Nation-Building Process Under Chadli Benjedid Notes 5-Economic Crisis and the Descent into Violence The Economy Collapses Discontent and Democratization The Military Intervenes and the Islamists Respond The Nation-Building Process Under the Haute Comité d’Etat The Nation-Building Process Under Liamine Zéroual Notes 6-National Identity and the Ongoing Struggle Down But Not Out: The Insurgents Endure Countering the Insurgency The Nation-Building Process Under Abdelaziz Bouteflika Conclusions Notes Bibliography Index About the Book Explores the multiple causes of two decades of political change, social and economic upheaval, and conflict in post-independence Algeria, focusing on the relationship between identity and sociopolitical stability in Algerian nation building