HIB003n Modern France

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Milan Řepa, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Milan Řepa, Ph.D.
Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites
The course requires no specific prerequisites.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course provides a comprehensive overview of French history from 1850 to 2000. While political events will form the backbone of the outline, attention will also be given to societal changes and the dynamics of economic development. Through focused case studies, the course will explore the rich cultural, intellectual, and artistic contributions that France has made to the world.
Learning outcomes
By completing the course, students will acquire new skills and further develop existing ones, including the following:
- Refining and applying knowledge from general courses on 19th- and 20th-century history using the example of a specific state.
- Navigating French history through its periodization, identifying and summarizing the key features of each period.
- Developing critical thinking through the interpretation of secondary literature and enhancing research skills in the analysis of historical documents.
- Improving communication and argumentation skills in discussions about key aspects and phenomena of French history (e.g., nationalism, secularization, democracy, parliamentarism, etc.).
- Cultivating cultural awareness and gaining a broad understanding of French intellectual and artistic production.
- Gaining a better understanding of contemporary political and social developments in France.
Syllabus
  • 1. Echoes of the Revolution of 1848; establishment of the Second Republic, Coup of 1851
  • 2. Second Empire 1852-1870, economic modernization; excursus: French novels (realism and naturalism)
  • 3. Franco-Prussian War, Paris Commune 1870/71; excursus: Paris as a fashion capital
  • 4. The Third Republic 1870-1914, Dreyfus Affair; excursus: Belle Époque in art
  • 5. France in World War I; reflections in memoirs, literature, art, and film
  • 6. Interwar France 1918-1939; excursus: French contributions to the beginnings of modern sport – Coubertin and the Olympic Games, Tour de France, Roland Garros
  • 7. World War II: Occupation, Vichy Regime, Resistance; excursus: French Existentialism
  • 8. The Fourth Republic (1946-1958): postwar reconstruction, political crisis, decolonization; excursus: chanson
  • 9. The Establishment of the Fifth Republic and Charles de Gaulle (1958-1969), student revolt of 1968; excursus: The New Wave in French film
  • 10. 1970s-1980s: Pompidou, d’Estaing, Mitterrand – dynamic transformation of French society and economy; excursus: modern French architecture
  • 11. The Turn of the 20th/21st Centuries: The era of Chirac and Sarkozy – European integration, immigration.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • DUBY, Georges. Dějiny Francie : od počátků po současnost. Vyd. 1. Praha: Karolinum, 2003, 953 s. ISBN 8071845140. info
  • FERRO, Marc. Dějiny Francie. Translated by Jitka Matějů - Doubravka Olšáková. Vyd. 1. Praha: NLN, Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 2009, 703 s. ISBN 9788071064039. info
  • NORWICH, John Julius. Stručné francouzské dějiny. Voznice: Leda, 2022,479 stran : ISBN: 978-80-7335-699-6
  • PRICE, Roger. A social history of nineteenth-century France. Hutchinson social history of Europe. London: Hutchinson, c1987. ISBN 0-09-172930-0
  • COBBAN, Alfred. A history of modern France. 2, From the first empire to the second empire 1799-1871. Pelican books. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Books, 1965
  • WERTH, Alexander. Osud Francie. Století přerodu. Praha: Fr. Borový, 1937. Dostupné také z: http://www.ndk.cz/.
  • BERSTEIN, Serge. The Republic of De Gaulle, 1958-1969. Paris: Editions de la Maison des sciences de l'homme, 1993, xxi, 259. ISBN 0521252393. info
  • BLOCH, Marc. Podivná porážka : svědectví z roku 1940. Translated by Irena Kozelská. Vydání první. Praha: Argo, 2007, 199 stran. ISBN 9788072039388. info
  • MAHONEY, Daniel J. De Gaulle : statesmanship, grandeur, and modern democracy. London (U.K.): Transaction Publishers, 2000, xix, 188. ISBN 0765806894. info
  • KERSAUDY, François. De Gaulle a Churchill : srdečná neshoda. Translated by Pavel Starý. Vyd. 1. Praha: Themis, 2003, 526 s. ISBN 8073120232. info
  • KERSAUDY, François. De Gaulle a Roosevelt : souboj na nejvyšší úrovni. Vyd. 1. Praha: Themis, 2006, 469 s. ISBN 8073120496. info
  • AGULHON, Maurice. De Gaulle : dějiny, symbol, mýtus. Translated by Doubravka Olšáková. Vyd. 1. Praha: Lidové noviny, 2005, 101 s. ISBN 8071069965. info
  • JÍRŮ, Jaroslav. De Gaulle : studie o člověku, který dokázal to, co je v politice vůbec nejtěžší: nikdy se nesklonil před nepřítelem a ubránil se i svým spojencům. Vyd. 1. Praha: Prostor, 2014, 423 s. ISBN 9788072603077. info
  • ORT, Alexandr. Jak se dostat k moci. Vyd.1. Praha: Mladá fronta, 1990, 221 s. ISBN 8020401296. info
Teaching methods
Each lesson will begin with a 15-20 minute discussion of the text/problem, followed by a lecture. Further tasks include written homework and reading assignments.
Assessment methods
For credit: activity in class, completion of homework assignments, a final interview demonstrating a basic understanding of the history of France from 1850 to 2000, and a discussion of two assigned literary works.
Náhradní absolvování
It is not possible to take the course in an alternative format.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught: every week.
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/HIB003n