New Forms of Urban Violence in Algeria : The Case of the City of Oran

After about a decade of deadly terrorism, Algeria’s major cities are now facing new forms of violence that concern both the population and the authorities. It is clear that social life generates violence. Ghettos, slums, and precarious housing in general host “marginal” social groups who often survive through illegal activities linked to violence, and social inequalities generate tensions. This raises the question of the causes of urban violence, which, as reported by the press and statistics, is on the rise, spreading across Algeria’s major cities.

Certainly, Algerians are not more violent than other peoples, but historical, political, and socio-anthropological conditions have combined to make urban violence a social phenomenon characterizing everyday urban life.