Who are we ?

Founded in 1987, Génériques is an NGO specialized in the history and the memory of immigration. It works to list, safeguard and preserve the archives on immigration issues in France and in Europe and to valorize it through cultural and scientific activities.


Archives: at the heart of Génériques’activities



In this purpose, since 1992, Génériques, in partnership with the Culture Cabinet and the
support from the Direction des Archives de France, has compiled the national inventory of public and private archives sources on the history of foreigners in France since the Revolution. This action has led to the publication of a guide of archives sources: Les Etrangers en France XIX-XXe siècles and to the preservation and listing of hundreds of private collections. These findings are now all being posted on line via our catalogue Odysseo which allows to identify and localize sources for the history of immigration and to consult digitalized documents directly. Archives privées.


Exhibitions


Bearing in mind its purpose of consciousness raising, Génériques has set several exhibitions dedicated to the history of immigration.

The exhibition: “Générations: un siècle d’histoire culturelle des Maghrébins en France” has been presented by Génériques in Paris, Lyon and is now being shown in Caen.


Conferences


The NGO has then organized several conferences and colloquiums on immigration issues:

- Images and representations of North Africans in French cinema: in partnership with le Maghreb des films, November 2010.

- Remembering migrants and migrations: towards new interpretations of European
History, Institut d’histoire allemande, Paris, November 2004 in collaboration with Network Migration in Europe and the Marc Bloch Centre.

- Cinema, literature and immigration for the meeting of the Association of European Migration Institutions (AEMI) in October 2005 at the Maison de l’Europe in Paris.

- Between protection of Rights and globalization: Moroccan migratory dynamics: historical, economical, political and cultural perspectives: a conference organized in partnership with the Centre de documentation, d’information et de formation aux
droits de l’Homme, in Casablanca, in June 2003.

-1901-2001: civil society and immigration: between mobilization and active participation. Conference organized for the Fonds d’action et de soutien pour l’intégration et la lutte contre les discriminations, to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the 1901 law.

- History and archives of migrations in France and in Europe: a European seminar
organized in October 1999 for the publication of the guide: Les Etrangers en France.

- The French Model of integration to the test of Europe, June 1999 for le Fonds d’action
sociale.



Publishing activities


In order to better diffuse the collected heritage and the researches led by Génériques, the NGO has also
developed publishing activities via Editions Mémoire-Génériques and the semi-annual journal Migrance.



The website


In addition, Génériques’ website displays much information on scientific and cultural dimensions of the history of immigration. It provides news about recent books, cultural activities and conferences findings on immigration issues.



A Museum of Immigration


At last, Génériques, together with many researchers, personalities and other NGOs concerned with immigration, is committed to increase awareness among public opinion and public authorities of the necessity for a museum dedicated to the history and the role of immigration in contemporary France. In this purpose, in 2001, the CEO received from the Prime Minister the mission to write a report on this issue. This report was handed to PM Lionel Jospin in November 2001. Since then, Génériques has been part of the museum creation process led by M. Jacques Toubon. In June 2004, a final report was handed to PM Jean Pierre Raffarin who then officially announced the creation of the Cité Nationale de l’Histoire de l’Immigration. The Museum opened in 2007 at the Palais de la Porte Dorée in Paris (12). Génériques is part of its network and is thus regularly involved in its activities (exhibitions, conferences, research).