Abstract
An analysis based on the gender category consists in distinguishing women and men in their experiences, in order to find out whether there are noteworthy differences between them. Within the particular framework of immigration in France, it is a remarkable fact that only a minority of writers have focused on gender in their surveys, particularly when they are militants, or when they deal with a subject that obviously distinguishes women and men, such as, for instance the headscarf controversy. However, it is undeniable that using gender for understanding the experiences of immigrants in France could bring to light interesting aspects, even if they seem less noteworthy or prone to controversy than others. Most reasons for women's coming to France are unlike that of immigration of men. Women immigrate for family reunification, whereas men often migrate to France as immigrant workers. Thus, the next question that arises is related to the extent to which experiences of immigrants in France have been determined by gender.
