Modern France

by Michael F. Leruth

Overview

"A truly astonishing book of facts about France ... librarians will find this book useful for developing collections, preparing for instruction sessions, and writing library guides." – Choice

This volume offers perspective on contemporary France, exploring topics ranging from geography to popular culture.

This encyclopedia is organized into thematic chapters covering numerous aspects of life in modern France. Each chapter contains an overview of the topic and alphabetized entries providing specific examples of the theme. Special appendices offer profiles of a typical day in the life of representative members of French society, a glossary, key facts and figures about France, and a holiday chart. The volume is an essential guide for readers looking for specific topical information and for those who want to develop an informed perspective on aspects of modern France.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798765141144
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	03/20/2025
Series:	Understanding Modern Nations
Pages:	544
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.09(d)

About the Author

Michael F. Leruth, PhD, is associate professor of French and francophone studies at the College of William & Mary, USA.

Table of Contents

Series Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction

Chapter 1: Geography
Overview
Administrative and Territorial Subdivisions
Cities
Climate
Historical Sites
Mountains
Natural Resources and Environment
North and South
Overseas France
Paris
Population
Regional Identities
Rivers
Transportation
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 2: History
Overview
Timeline
Charlemagne and the Carolingian Dynasty
Clemenceau (Georges) and World War I
Clovis and the Merovingian Dynasty
De Gaulle (Charles), World War II, and the Fifth Republic
Ferry (Jules) and the Third Republic
Francis I and the Renaissance
Joan of Arc and the Hundred Years' War
Louis IX and the Capetian Dynasty
Louis XIV and the Absolute Monarchy
Louis XVI and the End of the Ancien Régime
Macron (Emmanuel) and the New Political Landscape of France
Mitterrand (François) and France in the 1980s and 1990s
Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon I) and the First Empire
Napoleon III and the Second Empire
Robespierre (Maximilien) and the French Revolution
Sarkozy (Nicolas) and the Hyper Presidency
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 3: Government and Politics
Overview
Center
Constitutional Council
Counterterrorism
Elections
European Union
Far Right
Judicial System
Left
Military
Parliament
Presidency and Executive Branch
Protests
Republic
Right
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 4: Economy
Overview
Agriculture
Budget, Debt, and Taxes
Energy
Financial Sector
Innovation and Startups
Labor Relations
Luxury Goods
Major Industries
Public Sector and Privatization
Social Security and Healthcare
Tourism
Trade
Unemployment
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 5: Religion and Thought
Overview
Catholicism
Islam
Judaism
Laïcité
Philosophy (Contemporary)
Philosophy (Traditional)
Protestantism
Rationalism and Universalism
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 6: Social Class and Ethnicity
Overview
Arabs
Blacks
Bourgeoisie and Middle Class
Immigration
Income Distribution and Inequality
Nobility
Poverty and Homelessness
Refugee Crisis
Senior Citizens and Elderly
Suburbs
Working Class
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 7: Gender, Sexuality, Marriage, and Family
Overview
Attitudes toward Sex
Child Raising Practices
Feminism and Women's Rights
Gender Equality and Sexual Harassment
Kinship and Family Structures
LGBTQ+ Community
Marriage, Divorce, Civil Unions, and Cohabitation Today
Marriage Traditions
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 8: Education
Overview
Early Childhood Education and Elementary Schools
Erasmus and International Educational Exchange in France
Grandes Écoles
Private Schools
Republicanism and Public Schools
Secondary Schools
Universities and Higher Education
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 9: Language
Overview
Académie Française
Francophonie
Language Laws and Policies
Regional and Minority Languages, Dialects, and Varieties of French
Sexism and Gender Bias in French
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 10: Etiquette
Overview
Formal vs. Informal Forms of Address
Greeting Strangers, Acquaintances, Friends, and Family Members
Hosting and Gift Giving
Privacy and Personal Space
Social Hierarchies
Social Importance of Good Manners
Table Etiquette and Dinner Parties
Workplace Etiquette and Customer Relations
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 11: Literature and Drama
Overview
Eighteenth-Century Literature
Houellebecq (Michel) and the Recent French Novel
Literary Avant-Garde, 1950–1980
Literary Criticism and French Theory
Nobel Prize Laureates in Literature: J. M. G. Le Clézio and Patrick Modiano
Novel in the Nineteenth Century
Poetry (Modern and Contemporary)
Reza (Yasmina) and Recent French Theatre
Seventeenth-Century Theatre
Twentieth-Century Literature through Mid-Century (Novel and Theatre)
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 12: Art and Architecture
Overview
Contemporary Architecture
Contemporary Art
Fashion
French Cinema I (through the Nouvelle Vague)
French Cinema II (since the Nouvelle Vague)
Gothic Cathedrals
Impressionism
Loire Valley Châteaux
Ministry of Culture
Modern Architecture
Modern Art and the School of Paris
Versailles
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 13: Music and Dance
Overview
Chanson
Classical Music
Dance
Fête de la Musique
Folk Music
Jazz
Opera
Rock, Pop, and Rap
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 14: Food
Overview
Bread
Cheese
Food Quality, Organic Products, and GMO Resistance
Gastronomy
Regional Culinary Traditions
Shopping for Food
Wine
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 15: Leisure and Sports
Overview
Books and Reading
Cafés
Holidays
Movies
Museums
Outdoor Pastimes
Sports
Tour de France
Vacations
Selected Bibliography

Chapter 16: Media and Popular Culture
Overview
Internet, Social Media, and Video Games
Pop Culture Icons
Press
Radio
Television
Selected Bibliography

Appendix A: A Day in the Life
A Day in the Life of a Café Owner
A Day in the Life of a High School Student
A Day in the Life of a Winegrower
A Day in the Life of a Working Mother
Appendix B: Glossary of Key Terms
Appendix C: Facts and Figures
Appendix D: Holidays

Index
About the Author

Editorial Reviews

A truly astonishing book of facts about France ... librarians will find this book useful for developing collections, preparing for instruction sessions, and writing library guides.” —CHOICE

From the Publisher