“Riots” in French cities in November 2005: visions and revisions

Abstract

The paper presents an analytical description about the riots that occurred in French cities in 2005. The author is following a similar framework of enquiry, which was famously first deployed by the 1967 United States presidential National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorder: What happened? How did it happen? Why did it happen? What (can be) was done? Carefully presenting and reviewing the actions on the parts of rioters as well as police, the author makes the point that there was something quite specifically ‘French’ about the events and rejects their simple categorisation as ‘riots’ as well as simplistic one-cause explanations, pointing out the specific circumstances and conditions where they took place.