Nearly a year after the attacks on Charlie Hebdo, Paris still faces widespread tension related to the inclusion and socioeconomic status of its Muslim population. For youth, this conversation can have profound effects on their identity, whether or not they feel a part of France, and whether or not they thrive socially and economically.
Most often, religious tension is centered in disadvantaged suburbs, where some wonder if frustration between citizens of different backgrounds has more to do with income and education than religion. Unemployment, lack of opportunity, and poverty in these largely-Muslim communities can leave inhabitants feeling so alienated that some have dubbed them the ‘Other France.’ With recent studies showing Muslims 2.5 times less likely to be employed in France, the road to resolution remains unclear.