Summary Of The Other France By George Packer
George Packer’s article The Other France grabs readers by the shoulders and gives a long overdue shake. Any and all preconceived notions of the city of blinding lights and its inhabitants are tossed aside in favor of cold hard truths. Paris and its suburbs are no romantic getaway.
Instead, they are a breeding ground for terrorism, insurgency, and an alienation of nearly 11% of the city’s population. Packer writes about the impoverished and unwelcome ghettos of the Paris suburbs, or banlieues, and the debate on whether or not those communities are the birthplace of jihadists. The article follows the daily struggles of thirty-nine year old Fouad Ben Ahmud as he works to help troubled muslim youth in one of Paris’ most dangerous neighborhoods,
Instead, they are a breeding ground for terrorism, insurgency, and an alienation of nearly 11% of the city’s population. Packer writes about the impoverished and unwelcome ghettos of the Paris suburbs, or banlieues, and the debate on whether or not those communities are the birthplace of jihadists. The article follows the daily struggles of thirty-nine year old Fouad Ben Ahmud as he works to help troubled muslim youth in one of Paris’ most dangerous neighborhoods,