Reviewed by: La coopération décentralisée franco-algérienne: une coopération modeste et inachevée par Arezki Akerkar Erika E. Hess and Hope Hecht Akerkar, Arezki. La coopération décentralisée franco-algérienne: une coopération modeste et inachevée. L'Harmattan. 2022. ISBN 978-2-343-23355-0. Pp. 326. Although most credit "la décennie noire" with the fragile relations between France and Algeria, there is a forgotten era in which both countries would try and fail to cooperate. Akerkar, in La coopération décentralisée franco-algérienne, examines the attempted decentralized cooperation between France and Algeria, and why it ultimately failed through miscommunication, inaction, and individual goals. Akerkar separates his research into three separate parts: the first focuses on theory and concept, the second introduces the content, and the third provides a case study. The first section allows the reader to familiarize themselves with the concept of decentralization and establishes a perspective for future discussion. For example, the goals and efforts of decentralization ranged from water and sanitation, to tackling environmental issues. As decentralized cooperation made its debut in Algeria in the 1980s, Akerkar begins the timeline from the 1980s, while adding additional history as needed. The second part of the book starts to link the generalized terms and simplified history to more detailed data such as the increase in global or multinational associations in Algeria. The author additionally notes how the French state became an "acteur incontournable dans la coopération décentralisée entre collectivités locales" as France had to respect local Algerian governments' autonomy while collectively moving towards shared goals (114). Akerkar goes on to explain that the local government would then have to respect rules or standards that were not necessarily clear (115). Although the rules were not clear, the collective goals to create durable (and democratic) governmental systems and ties between France and Algeria were apparent. Akerkar writes that France saw the cooperation as an important cultural and international tie (137). Akerkar explains that this relationship between the two countries was more similar to a business affair since, through mutual cooperation, both sides strove to achieve their own private goals which created tension and discord (157). Besides their respective individual motivation, the strained relationship was also affected by "l'empreinte de la colonisation" (163). In the third and final part of the book, Akerkar provides a detailed case study of a failed fifteen-year project between the Algerian city of El Khroub and the French city of Mulhouse. The author undertakes a study of the project and the general inaction and miscommunication that eventually led to the end of the project. The research is well sourced, and the [End Page 202] detailed case study connects both the theory and history mentioned in parts one and two. The author presents the information in an unbiased manner, although the project resulted in what is considered a failure in cooperation. This book will be particularly valuable for those interested in or researching modern Franco-Algerian ties as it offers historical background as well as a detailed case study. [End Page 203] Hope Hecht University of Colorado, Boulder Copyright © 2023 American Association of Teachers of French