French Society & Culture for Non-specialists

French Studies PhD Reading Lists

Candidates must select either (A) the historical track or (B) the contemporary track.

A. HISTORICAL TRACK

Five works obligatory for all non-specialists of culture:

1. Histoire de France (Hachette, 1997)

One of the following five volumes:

Vol. 1. Le Moyen-Age Duby (Georges Duby)

Vol. 2. L’Etat royal 1460-1610 (Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie)

Vol. 3. L’Ancien Régime 1610-1770 (Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie)

Vol. 4. La Révolution: de Turgot à Jules Ferry: 1770-1880 (François Furet)

Vol. 5. La République 1880-1995 (Maurice Agulhon)

2. Ariès, Philippe & Georges Duby (sous la direction de). Histoire de la vie privée (Seuil, 1985-)

One of the four following volumes:

vol. 2. De L’Europe féodale à la Renaissance

vol. 3. De la Renaissance aux Lumières

vol. 4. De la Révolution à la Grande Guerre

vol. 5. De la Première Guerre mondiale à nos jours

3. Nora, Pierre . Les lieux de mémoire (Gallimard, 1984-)

One of the following three volumes:

Vol. 1. La République

Vol. 2. La Nation

Vol. 3. Les France . Paris : Gallimard, 1992

4. Duby, Georges & Armand Vallon (sous la direction de). Histoire de la France urbaine/Histoire de la France rurale (Seuil, 1980-)

One of the following four volumes:

Vol. 4. Histoire de la France urbaine: La ville de l’âge industriel

Vol. 5. Histoire de la France urbaine: La ville aujourd’hui

Vol. 3. Histoire de la France rurale: Apogée et crise de la civilisation paysanne de 1789 à 1914

Vol. 4. Histoire de la France rurale: La fin de la France paysanne de 1914 à nos jours

5. Mendras, Henri. La Seconde Révolution française. Paris: Gallimard, 1988.

Candidates who specialize in Francophone literature must substitute (with the approval of the culture examiner) two books with works on the history of the geographical area they intend to specialize in (Quebec, Africa, West Indies, etc.) Candidates who do not specialize in Francophone Studies may substitute (with the approval of the culture examiner) a maximum of two books with other works of their choice.

B. CONTEMPORARY TRACK

Five works obligatory for all non-specialists of culture:

1. Wylie, Laurence. Un Village du Vaucluse. Paris: Gallimard, 1968.

2. Bourdieu, Pierre. La Distinction. Critique sociale du jugement. Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1979.

3. Mendras, Henri. La Seconde Révolution française. Paris: Gallimard, 1988.

4. Galland, Olivier et Yannick Lemel (sous la direction de). La Nouvelle Société française. Trente ans de mutation. Paris: Colin, 1998.

5. Crozet, Faure, Bolliet & Fleury. Les Grandes Questions de la société française. Paris: Nathan, 2000.

Candidates who specialize in Francophone literature must substitute (with the approval of the culture examiner) two books with works on the contemporary society and culture of the geographical area they intend to specialize in (Quebec, West Africa, Haiti, etc.) Candidates who do not specialize in Francophone Studies may substitute (with the approval of the culture examiner) a maximum of two books with other works of their choice.