5 - Espace public et participation politique en Afrique : le cas de l’Algérie

Abstract

The year 1989 marked a new phase in the political lives of nations, follow- ing the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of ideological conflicts between the two former antagonistic poles. This change led to a new way of transforming state structures and articulating their role in reforming the public space. The example of the events of October 1988 in Algeria con- stitutes an experience of the appearance of a new public space that boosted political and associational life, with the advent of the multiple party system and electoral pluralism. This experience of democratization created a dynamic public space, with associational movements, a new citizenship, a new form of management of political conflicts and a new political culture. Data from the field¹ on the participation of Oranese youth in the public space, and their political attitudes, will help back up the approach developed in this article.