The French Cultural and Religious Policy in Algeria and National Reactions

Abstract

During the Ottoman era in Algeria (1518-1830 CE), education was widespread and religion was respected. However, when the colonizers set foot in Algeria in 1830 CE, they began implementing a cultural/religious policy with the help of experts and theorists. Their main pillars were assimilation, proselytization, and Frenchification. They achieved this by suppressing Arabic education, combating Islamic religion, and attempting to eliminate the Arab-Islamic identity of the Algerian people through the Frenchification of educational curricula and promoting Christian evangelism. They employed both intimidation and inducement strategies. Nevertheless, the brave Algerian people, through their military and cultural resistance, and later through politics, thwarted all colonial schemes and policies.