Eminent Domain under French policies displayed utter disregard for Algeria’s Casbah locale since France’s initial occupation in the nineteenth century.  Areas were leveled and rebuilt to create a more European-type city.  The compact homes of the local Algerians were confiscated, torn down to make way for mansions for Europeans to live in.  A commercial district was designed with more sophisticated structures in a manner that might entice foreign investment and trade.  Meanwhile, demolition of the Marine area was meant to create a defensive sector in the event that other outsiders tried to invade Algeria.  Under these policies, the French destroyed mosques, madrasas, shops, streets and homes with complete disdain and lack of respect for the uniqueness of the Casbah.  However, French policies in Algeria’s Casbah and Marine areas leading up to the 1930s underwent a dramatic shift.

Due to an influx of tourists, France changed its policies in the Casbah and Marine Quarter.  The “Europeanization” of the areas was no longer advantageous to the French.  Tourists wanted to see “authentic” Algeria, not an Algeria made to look like any other European city.  Instead of tearing down the traditional Casbah home, the new policies mandated that all new housing must be built to mirror those of the traditional Islamic dwellings.  In addition, new schools were erected to foster the creation of local Algerian art.  These new policies were applicable only to the Casbah areas allotted to the local Algerians.  The sections that were once razed and re-built in model-European structures would continue to do the same with new buildings in those sectors.

The policy of separation between the locals and Europeans remained solidly embedded in Algeria even as France implemented new guidelines.  Policies to integrate the two communities into each other seemed to be non-existent. The lack of integration also continued to exacerbate a situation that existed within the Islamic section of the Casbah.  The traditional Islamic network of homes allowed for women to be confined to inside while down below, the Muslim men ruled the streets.  This particular layout of buildings kept men and women somewhat segregated within the Islamic community.  The French policy of building new tradition Islamic Casbah homes enforced this social practice.  Any semblance of unity on the part of the French was purely superficial.  The new policies meant to promote “tolerance” were meant to attract more tourists who would thereby bring more money into the area.

References

Çelik, Zeynep.  Urban Forms and Colonial Confrontations: Algiers under French Rule. Berkeley: University of California Press (1997).

Davidson, Naomi. Only Muslim: Embodying Islam in Twentieth-Century France. Ithaca: Cornell University Press (2012).