French Politics and Institutions

COURS POUR LES
ETUDIANTS
INTERNATIONAUX
2016-2017
DESCRIPTIF
ENSEIGNEMENT
Séminaire d’Ouverture
INTITULE DU COURS :
Course’s Title:
French Politics and Institutions (in English)
ENSEIGNANT(S) :
Caroline CLAIR
FONCTION(S) :
PRAG en Sciences Economiques et Sociales
PERIODE :
Semestre 1
Semestre 2
RESUME DU COURS / OBJECTIFS
Ce cours a pour objectif de familiariser les étudiants avec les principaux enjeux de la vie politique
française, sous la cinquième République et de leur donner ainsi des clés de compréhension des
principaux débats. La première grande partie du cours est consacrée à une analyse générale de
l’ordre politique français : spécificités du système semi-présidentiel français (en le comparant
avec d’autres systèmes politiques démocratiques : Royaume-Unis, Etats-Unis) ; la figure de
l’Etat en France, rôles des principales institutions politiques et leurs relations réciproques. La
seconde partie de ce cours est consacrée aux acteurs politiques : les partis politiques, les
médias, les citoyens, les fonctionnaires. Enfin, il s’agira d’aborder les principaux débats qui
agitent aujourd’hui la vie politique française.
syllabus / targets
This 18 hours lecture in political science is dedicated at the presentation of the main stakes of
French political life, since the birth of the current Fifth Republic, in 1958. The first part of this
course aims to present the outlines of the French political order: functioning of the French semipresidential system and relationships between the main power figures (such as the Prime
Minister, the President of the Republic and the Members of Parliament), relationships between
central level and sub-central level (since the laws of decentralization). The second part will
present the main political actors, that is to say the French political parties and the functioning of
political competition, more precisely during elections. It is also important to explain electoral
behaviours thanks to political science theories and thanks to graphs and statistics. Finally, we’ll
study French bureaucracy and emphasize the main debates on French political life and next
elections.
2016-2017
COURS POUR LES
ETUDIANTS
INTERNATIONAUX
EVALUATION :
20% of the overall grade: attendance and participation.
80% of the overall grade: research paper (choice among two topics; 4-5 pages).
PLAN / SEANCES :
General course plan (9 lectures – 18 hours).
Introduction:
• What do you know about the French political life?
• The main features of the French Fifth Republic: elections, campaigns, political parties, media,
presidents, members of Parliament, etc.
Part 1: the French political order.
Chapter 1: The birth of the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and the legacy of Gaullism.
Chapter 2: The functioning of the French semi-presidential system: the dual executive and the
Legislature. .
Chapter 3: The State and civil servants in France.
Chapter 4: Local governments (relationships between central level and sub-central level, laws of
decentralization).
Part 2: Political actors.
Chapter 5: Political competition (1): the left and extreme left political parties.
Chapter 6: Political competition (2): the right and extreme right political parties.
Chapter 7: Birth and role of the trade unions in France.
Chapter 8: The political elite: debates.
Chapter 9: Women in politics: powers, political functions, representation.
Conclusion: What is mainly at stake in the French political life, today?
2016-2017
COURS POUR LES
ETUDIANTS
INTERNATIONAUX
BIBLIOGRAPHIE :
Nicholas Atkin, The Fifth French Republic, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2005
David S. Bell, Parties and democracy in France: parties under presidentialism, Aldershot:
Ashgate, 2000.
Alistair Cole, French politics and society, London, Pearson Longman, 2005
Alistair Cole, Governing and governance in France, Cambridge University Press, 2008
Alistair Cole, Patrick Le Galès, Jonah D. Levy (eds), Developments in French Politics 4, New
York, Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.
Robert Elgie, Political institutions in contemporary France, Oxford University Press, 2003.
Robert Elgie, Steven Griggs, French politics. Debates and Controversies, New York, Routlege,
2000.
Robert Elgie, Studying political leadership, London, Palgrave Macmillan, 2015.
John Gaffney, Political leadership in France: from Charles de Gaulle to Nicolas Sarkozy,
Basingstoke, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010.
Emiliano Grossman et Nicolas Sauger, (dir.). France's Political Institutions at 50. Routledge,
2009. 216 p. (West European Politics Series).
Andrew Knapp, Parties and the party system in France: a disconnected democracy?
Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2004
William Safran, The French polity, London, Pearson Longman, cop. 2009
www.assemble-nationale.fr
www.vie-publique.fr