Social Exclusion and Migrant Movement among African Migrants in France: An Analysis in the Context of Athena Film

Year 2023, , 885 - 899, 28.10.2023

Fethiye Kaya Tilbe , Ali Tilbe

https://doi.org/10.25204/iktisad.1345119

Abstract

The conflict between the security forces and immigrant children, who perceive that they are deprived of equal citizenship rights in France, takes place both in factual reality and in fiction through its reflection in cinema. The film Athena (2022) brings the story of the uprising and rebellion process that begins in a fictional suburb of Paris after the alleged murder of a 13-year-old Algerian boy by the police. This study aims to examine the film Athena in the context of social exclusion through thematic analysis method with the assumption that “cinema is a presentation of society” and that immigrants are excluded by the wider society as one of the disadvantaged communities in the countries of immigration and that the problematic of social cohesion and integration leads to mutual conflict. Despite its weaknesses that miss the reality of the causes of the divisions in French society, the film clearly shows that social exclusion and discrimination experienced by immigrants in different areas lead to uncontrollable anger and that the spiral of mutual violence can lead to deadly conflicts and consequences.

Keywords

International migration, cinema, social exclusion, African migrant movement in France

Fransa’daki Afrikalı Göçmenlerde Sosyal Dışlanma ve Göçmen Hareketi: Athena Filmi Bağlamında Bir İnceleme

Abstract

Fransa’da eşit yurttaşlık haklarından yoksun olduğunu düşünen göçmenler ile güvenlik güçleri arasındaki çatışma hem olgusal gerçeklikte hem de sinemaya yansımasıyla kurguda çokça yer almaktadır. Athena (2022) filmi de Paris’in bir kurmaca yörekentinde (banliyö) Cezayir kökenli Fransız 13 yaşında bir çocuğun polis kurşunu ile öldürülmesi iddiası üzerine başlayan başkaldırı ve isyan sürecinin öyküsünü seyirciyle buluşturmaktadır. Bu çalışma, “sinemanın toplumun bir sunumu” olduğu ve göçmenlerin de göç edilen ülkelerde dezavantajlı topluluklardan birisi olarak geniş toplum tarafından dışlandığı ve toplumsal uyum ve bütünleşme sorunsalının karşılıklı çatışmaya yol açtığı varsayımıyla Athena filmini sosyal dışlanma bağlamında tematik analiz yöntemiyle incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Fransız toplumundaki kırılma ve ayrışmanın nedenleri konusunda gerçekliği ıskalayan zayıflığına karşın film, göçmenler tarafından farklı alanlarda deneyimlenen sosyal dışlanma ve ayrımcılığın denetlenemeyen öfkeye yol açtığını ve karşılıklı oluşan şiddet sarmalının ölümcül çatışma ve sonuçlar doğurabileceğini tüm açıklığıyla göstermektedir.

Keywords

Uluslararası göç, sinema, sosyal dışlanma, Fransa'da Afrikalı göçmen hareketi

References

• Akpamuk, G. (2023, 5 Temmuz). Fransa’daki isyanın arka planı: ‘Bu çocukların kaybedecek bir şeyi yok’. BBC Türkçe. https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/cqvqnv1186yo
• Apalachi, V. (2022, 28 Eylül). Romain Gavras’ın Athena’sı izeyiciyi ikiye bölen bir film. Ortakoltuk. https://ortakoltuk.com/film-elestirileri/athena-2
• Barou, J. (2014). Integration of immigrants in France: a historical perspective. Identities, 21(6), 642-657. https://doi.org/10.1080/1070289X.2014.882840
• Baudrillard, J. (1994). Simülakrlar ve simülasyon. (O. Adanır, Çev.). Doğu Batı.
• Betz, H. G., ve Immerfall, S. (1998). The new politics of the right: Neo-populist parties and movements in established democracies. St. Martin’s Press.
• Bou-Anak, J. (2015). Discrimination towards Algerian-French citizens in post-colonial French cinema. Senior Honors Projects. 87. http://collected.jcu.edu/honorspapers/87
• Chan, A. (Yönetmen). (2005). The French democracy (Film). Atomic Prod.
• Cohen, M. (2017). Post-colonial Algerian immigration: Putting down roots in the face of exclusion. Le Mouvement Social, 258(2017/1), 29-48. https://www.lemouvementsocial.net/en/post/?article=E_LMS_258_0029
• Çakal, S. (2022, 27 Ekim). Athena filmi üzerine: Kabullenişin hikâyesi. MozartCultures. https://mozartcultures.com/athena-filmi-uzerine-kabullenisin-hikayesi/
• Diken, B. ve Laustsen. B. C. (2019). Filmlerle sosyoloji. (S. Ertekin, Çev.). Metis.
• Drach, M. (Yönetmen). (1970). Élise ou la Vraie Vie (Film). ONCIC and Port Royal Films.
• Gavras, R. (Yönetmen). (2022). Athena (Film). Iconoclast; Lyly Films.
• Haan, A.D. (2001). Social exclusion: Enriching the understanding of deprivation. World Development Report 2001 Forum on Inclusion, Justice and Poverty Reduction.
• House, J. (2006). The colonial and post-colonial dimensions of Algerian migration to France. History in focus. Institute of Historical Research. https://archives.history.ac.uk/history-in-focus/Migration/articles/house.html
• Islam, M. R. ve Sharmin, K. (2011). Social exclusion in non-government organizations’ (NGOs’) development activities in Bangladesh. Sociology Mind, 1(2), 36-44. https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=4655
• Kassovitz, M. (Yönetmen). (1995). La Haine (Film). Les Productions Lazennec; Le Studio Canal+; La Sept Cinéma; Kasso Inc. Productions.
• Kronauer, M. (2019). ‘Social exclusion’ and ‘underclass’ – new concepts for the analysis of poverty. Empirical poverty research in a comparative perspective. Routledge
• Ly, Ladj. (Yönetmen). (2019). Les misérables (Film). SRAB Films; Rectangle Productions
• Lapeyronnie, D. (2008). Ghetto urbain. Ségrégation, violence, pauvreté en France aujourd’hui. Robert Laffont.
• Levitas, R., Pantazis, C., Fahmy, E., Gordon, D., Lloyd, E. ve Patsios, D. (2007). The multi-dimensional analysis of social exclusion. Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267222796_The_Multi-Dimensional_Analysis_of_Social_Exclusion.
• Morin, E. (2005). The cinema or the imaginary man. University of Minnesota Press.
• Nekorjak M, Souralová A, Vomastková K (2011). Stuck in marginality: The education market ‘Roma schools’ and the reproduction of social and spatial inequalities. Czech Sociological Review 47(4): 657–680. https://sreview.soc.cas.cz/en/artkey/csr-201104-0003_stuck-in-marginality-the-education-market-roma-schools-and-the-reproduction-of-social-and-spatial-inequalit.php
• Nelson, E. (2022). Spaces of inclusion and exclusion: Algerians in Paris, France. Metropolitics, https://metropolitics.org/Spaces-of-Inclusion-and-Exclusion-Algerians-inParis-France.html.
• Newman, K. S. ve Thorat, S. (2007). Caste and economic discrimination: Causes, consequences and remedies. Economic&Political Weekly, 42(41). https://www.epw.in/journal/2007/41/caste-and-economic-discrimination-special-issues-specials/caste-and-economic
• Popay J. (2010). Understanding and tackling social exclusion. Journal of Research in Nursing, 15(4), 295-297. https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987110370529
• Sayad, A. (2004). The suffering of the immigrants. Polity Press.
• Sen, Amartya (2000). Social exclusion: Concept, application, and scrutiny (Working Paper, Social Development Paper No 1). Asian Development Bank.
• Shiraliyev, M. (2022). Avrupa’da aşırı sağ partilerin yükselişinin temel belirleyicileri. SDE Akademi Dergisi, 2(6), 140-159.
• Silver, H. (1994). Social exclusion and social solidarity: Three Paradigms (IILS Discussion Papers No 69). ILO.
• Song H, Lewis Jr., N.A., Ballew M.T., Bravo, M., Davydova J., Gao, H.O., Garcia, R.J., Hiltner, S., Naiman, S.M., Pearson, A.R., Romeo-Canyas, R. ve Schuldt, J.P. (2020). What counts as an “environmental” issue? Differences in issue conceptualization by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 68(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2020.101404
• Sullivan, D. M. ve Picarsic, J. (2012). The subtleties of social exclusion: Race, social class, and the exclusion of blacks in a racially mixed neighborhood. Sociology Mind, 2(2), 153-157. https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=18434
• Tilbe, F. ve Tilbe, A. (2020). Umut Adası filminde göç süreci: Emek, sosyo-ekonomik çatışmalar ve uyum perspektifinden bir inceleme. Atatürk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 24(Özel Sayı), 101-120. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/ataunisosbil/issue/59390/804919