The identities issue still does not find a legitimite place in the debates on the future of the french republican model. At the time of questionning the integration models in most of european immigration countries, the french model should now answer the question: How french citizenship should adapt to the social reality of this ethnic, cultural and religious diversity?

This report contributes to answer this question on the basis of a qualitative fieldwork carried out between March and July 2004 on the French military with migration background. It gives account of the social representations these members of the French armed forces have vis-à-vis their initial motivation to volunteer, their conceptions of the practice of Islam, citizenship, and discriminations. This also addresses the gender issue.

This study was conducted with the support of the French Defense Ministry and contributes to challenge most of the clichés on this issue.