Hommes libres? : Un aperçu des discours historiques et politiques sur les communautés juives et musulmanes françaises

This thesis examines the historical and political discourse surrounding the Jewish and Muslim communities in France. The study begins with an investigation of the 2011 film, Les hommes libres, in which Muslims hide Jews in the Grand Mosque of Paris during the Nazi Occupation in 1942. A comparison is then made between the events depicted in the film and the current situation facing the Jewish and Muslim populations in France between one another, as well as with the rest of the country. There are several anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic acts that are referenced in the study, in addition to various examples of political discourse from French politicians. One section of the thesis is dedicated to the 2012 Presidential Election in France and the diverse discourse of the Presidential candidates regarding immigration, Church and state, and Israeli-Palestinian relations. The progress that has been made to foster a better relationship between Jews and Muslims in France is the focus of the succeeding section, in which I discuss the social movement that has been taking place across the country. The study concludes with several questions that remain concerning the future for Muslims and Jews in France and whether or not the Presidential Election of 2012 will have an impact on their coexistence.

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French