Locating Dangerous Algerians

Historical analysis reveals that policing strategies in Marseille and Algiers, though differing in approach, both contributed to the criminalization of North Africans through targeted surveillance and legal justifications. While Marseille relied on specialized police units and aid services, Algiers employed expansive criminal laws to legitimize broad police powers. Both models fostered paradoxical relationships marked by animosity and dependence, shaped by the îlotier policing style. This study highlights how routine interactions between police and North Africans in areas like the Casbah of Algiers and Rue des Chapeliers expanded state control beyond uniformed officers to include bureaucrats and aid services.

Beaujon, D. (2025). Locating Dangerous Algerians. Criminalizing the Casbahs, 48–73. https://doi.org/10.7591/cornell/9781501781476.003.0003