France is a country that has a rich history and culture. It is also inhabited by people from various ethnicities, who add a lot to its lifestyle and heritage. As of 2011, France was considered to have a population of 65.8 million. The top international communities in France include Slavic, North African and Western and Central African, Southeast Asian and the Basque minority. France is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in Europe.
The main population is white Caucasian. North African people represent the largest non-indigenous group that is called Arabs. It comprises Algerians, Tunisians and Moroccans with Algerians representing the largest part in the group. Arabs come from Berber and Kabyles groups. Black African groups come mainly from French colonies of Western and Central Africa. This group is also referred to as African-Caribbeans. The Asian community originates mainly from Vietnam and Laos. The non-French speaking groups originate from China, and Tamil. Other small groups come from Armenia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Philippines, Georgia, Greece, Haiti, Iran, Italy, India, Korea, Lebanon, Romania and Turkey.
France is known for acknowledging cultural and ethnic differences, but is at the same time famous for racial discrimination problems. These discrimination problems ravaged its black and Arab groups who suffer already from unemployment and integration problems. France prides itself to be a country that recognizes all its citizens regardless of religion, race or origin. While this ideology is a noble one, reality is way different. Ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy suggested considering the American approach of equal opportunity, quotas and accurate statistics to reflect a more truthful image of France.
By France opting to categorize its ethnic groups by race and ethnicity, it would set the way for positive discrimination that is still a form of discrimination. Racial and xenophobia are deeply engraved in the French community. These attitudes are oriented mainly towards minorities and immigrants. Immigrants are usually held responsible for France’s problems including unemployment, decline in the quality of education and crime. Immigrants are seen capable of committing crime more than the average French person. An important portion of the French society thinks that immigrants should be repatriated. Discrimination and hatred acts are punishable by law. Racism can also be depicted in the country’s political system. People disagree whether minorities add value to the country. Tolerance degree varies among the French from the intolerant group to the most tolerant one. Moreover, huge efforts are made to crack down the illegal immigrants whose majority are Arab and Black African.
France views itself as a laic state and thus all funding is not allowed for religious institutions except for those having a cultural association. Islamic institutions are banned from this category as Muslims are considered to not have any historical ties to French history. Even though racism is banned in France, it is clearly a part from its everyday life. This reflects a clear failure of social integration of minorities and immigrants. A significant amount of work should be done to recognize this form of social failure, and combat it.
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