Abstract
This paper describes the transformation of the city of Tunis during the last 50 years, indicating in particular how the city has moved from an ex-colonial and rather provincial city into a large metropolis that is open to and influenced by the financial flows of international capitalism and that is seeking further integration into the world economy. It also describes how housing has evolved during this same period, especially housing for low-income groups which is considered a key test for understanding the social and political dimensions of this transformation. By considering the housing problems and the difficulties of integrating the low-income majority of the population we can identify the deep changes in the context and profile of the city population as well as the rupture that has occurred in the urban fabric in terms of its form and structure.