Description
Book SynopsisFor nearly two decades, including after its independence, Algeria was named as a part of the European Economic Community. Megan Brown unearths this forgotten history, showing that early visions of European unity were not limited to the “natural” geographic boundaries on which many today insist.
Trade ReviewBrown casts a new light on the history of European integration, bringing out the contorted effort of French leaders to insist that Algeria was an integral part of France at the same time that France was an integral part of Europe. Her story helps us understand still ongoing conflicts over colonialism, race, and economic interests. -- Frederick Cooper, author of
Africa in the World: Capitalism, Empire, Nation-StateAn impressive book that makes a new and important contribution to the story of Algerian independence. Brown shows that the history of decolonization in Algeria was not only a question about citizenship, French sovereignty, and Algerian nationhood, but also a crucial arena for determining the meaning of European integration in the postwar decades. The book rests on a prodigious amount of archival work, but Brown wears her erudition lightly in prose that is clear, concise, and effective. I wholeheartedly recommend
The Seventh Member State. -- Joshua Cole, author of
Lethal Provocation: The Constantine Murders and the Politics of French AlgeriaBrown explains brilliantly how the history of the European Union is linked to the imperial past of its member states. In retracing the forgotten story of Algerian membership in the European Community, she reinterprets the concept of Eurafrica, questioning the boundaries of Europe and the identities of European citizens. A fascinating new perspective on what European integration could have been. -- Guia Migani, University of Tours
Brown presents a new angle on European integration and the concept of Europe itself by calling attention to the ‘seventh member state,’ Algeria. This valuable work offers a striking example of how decolonization was more often than not a protracted and messy process rather than a straightforward transfer of power. In a clear, brisk narrative, Brown also enlarges our understanding of the diplomatic context for the Algerian War, as well as the international dimensions of Algerian independence. -- Owen White, author of
The Blood of the Colony: Wine and the Rise and Fall of French AlgeriaIn this excellent book, Brown illuminates all the complexities and difficulties the six member states of the European Community, especially France, had to deal with when confronted with the decolonization of Algeria on the one hand and the European integration process on the other. -- Véronique Dimier, Free University of Brussels
