Broadly comparative history of French nationality, from the French Revolution to the present, tying the politics of nationality to those of demography, colonial history, immigration, and conscription.

Acronyms and Abbreviations vii
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1
Part One. The Construction of Modern Nationality Law in France
1. From the Old Regime to the Civil Code: The Two Revolutions in French Nationality 11
2. The Triumph of Jus Soli (1803-1889) 30
3. Naturalization Comes to the Aid of the Nation (1889-1940) 54
Part Two. Ethnic Crises in French Nationality
4. Vichy: A Racist and Anti-Semitic Nationality Policy 87
5. The Difficult Reestablishment of Republican Legislation 125
6. The Algerian Crisis in French Nationality 152
Conclusion to Parts One and Two 168
Part Three. Nationality in Comparison and In Practice
7. Jus Soli versus Jus Sanguinis: The False Opposition between French and German Law 173
8. Discrimination within Nationality Law 194
9. How Does One Become or Remain French? French Nationality in Practice 228
Conclusion 250
Glossary 255
Notes 263
Maps and Documents 375
Bibliography 409
Index 427