Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. As a result of French colonialism and occupation of territories around the world, many individuals migrated to France. With this migration, individuals brought their own cultures with them. Consider what you know about the effects of colonialism on migration patterns: What are some of the reasons people migrated to their colonial metropoles? What can happen when there are a variety of cultures in one area?

Teaching Suggestion: The resources below provide information on the history of Maghrebi migration to France, as well as current events surrounding perceptions of individuals from North Africa living in France. Encourage students to read these links and conduct their own research before answering the question.

• This article provides information about the movement of individuals from North Africa to Paris.
• This article discusses France’s decision to limit work visas to individuals from several former colonies.

2. Although the suburbs represent both financial prosperity and disparity in France, the French word for suburb, banlieue, is usually associated with the latter, particularly in regions that accommodate individuals from outside of France.