Algeria's current politics are influenced by its colonial period under the French to an extent not seen in other North African and Middle Eastern states. Indeed, Malika Rebai Maamri argues that Algeria's postcolonial history and politics are, in fact, a series of attempts to come to terms with the dire consequences of this colonial past. With over half a century having passed since independence, the country is still struggling to create a unified Algerian identity, and any discussion on the concept highlights how, all too frequently, the concept of identity can serve as a form of exclusion. Exploring a wide range of issues in Algerian society, such as the political, cultural social, economic and gender relations, Rebai Maamri shows how belonging and citizenship are produced and perceived. In doing so, she offers in-depth analysis of a country which is often side-lined in the study of the Middle East and North Africa, and yet is a vital component in the search for a post-colonial identity and state in the region.

Malika Rebai Maamri is Senior Lecturer at the National Postgraduate School of Political Science in Algiers. She holds a PhD from the University of Essex and the University of Algiers.

PART I: Algeria under Colonial Eyes
Chapter 1: The Pacification of Algeria
Chapter 2: Citizenship under Colonial Rule

PART II: Reframing Citizenship
Chapter 3: The Construction of the Postcolonial Nation
Chapter 4: Challenges to the Nation-State: Violence and Belonging
Chapter 5: Algerian Women's Struggle for Recognition
Chapter 6: The Imazighen's Quest for Inclusion
Chapter 7: Negotiating Existence in Emigration: Algerian Immigrants in France
Conclusion: What Future for Algeria?