These nine weeks lecture in Political Science aims to analyse the main aspects of the French political institutions and actors, 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: that is to say, the functioning of the French semi-presidential 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) powers, functions of the State and characteristics of the high civil servants (education, career...). The second part of this seminar will present the main French political actors: political parties and the functioning of political competition; representation of women in politics; the political activists. Finally, we will deal with the main debates about the French political life.
This lecture aims to give you the main tools to participate and understand the key debates of the French political life, during your stay in France. So, don’t hesitate to participate during this lecture and to ask some questions. I’ll be happy to precise some theories or notions that you didn’t understand. We can also organise some debates and compare the French political system with the functioning of your own country political system.
- Teacher: Caroline Clair

.
Ce cours s’adresse à des étudiants internationaux ayant une compétence en français de niveau minimum B2 ("Utilisateur indépendant avancé") et aux étudiants de niveau supérieur avancé C1 et C2 ("Utilisateur expérimenté").
Le cours évalue les différentes compétences en compréhension écrite/orale et en expression écrite/orale. Du travail personnel est à fournir entre chaque cours.
Les thèmes et les ressources sélectionnées ont pour visée de faciliter l’échange et la réflexion en français sur des questions d’actualité politique, économique, sociale ou encore culturelle.
- Teacher: Sylvie Dambre
Ce cours s'adresse aux étudiants de la filière FIFA actuellement en année de Master (toutes spécialités)

- Teacher: Clothilde Villemin
SYLLABUS
The discussion thread of this course is the assumption that the European construction failures have their roots in the ambiguity of the idea of Europe. So, in order to strengthen the European idea, it is assumed that this very idea of Europe has to be cleared by deconstruction.
The premise to any success in the European construction not betraying the ideal of democracy, peace and hospitality - all virtues attached to the political ideal of Europe - is the deconstruction of the idea of Europe. So, the objective of the course is to go back up from some unsettled questions about the European idea to the idea of Europe that is to find in the writings of European philosophers, especially since Kant.
A distinction is made between the European idea and the Idea of Europe. By European idea I mean the constructivist idea of the European polity that the European unification attempts to realize by the creation of common institutions and common policies. So, the European idea refers to the implementation of the "founding fathers'" project until the apparent failure of the European constitution. With the expression “idea of Europe” I mean the philosophical conceptions of Europe by European philosophers since Kant to Derrida through Valéry, Husserl, Patocka and many others. Philosophers thought Europe as apart from the rest of the world and of humanity, because of its intellectual achievement. They thought of a special connection between Europe and the reason: Europe is self-declared as the birth-place of philosophy, and by this way of science, but they also thought of a special connection between Europe and democracy. Philosophy, science and democracy are conceived as essentially European inventions. In other words, philosophy, science and democracy are supposed to fulfil the idea of Europe. And we have by there the definition of Europe in a simple equation: Europe = reason, logos. And from this idea they claimed for Europe and Europeans a special destiny and a special mission in regard of the world. That is called the destiny and mission of the universal.
The objective of the course is to call this pretension into question and to appreciate the achievements of the European idea from the commitments rooted in the European self-image.
COURSE CONTENTS
- From the Crisis of the European Humanity to the European Construction
- How many languages can Europe sustain?
- Cool memories?
- How old is Europe?
- Do we still need nations?
- Can a weak Europe have an effective foreign policy?
- Can hospitality be rationed?
- Globalization or Europeanization?
There is no special requisite in philosophy to attend this course.
GRADING SCHEME: An Essay of 10 pages, 1.5 spacing, margins: 2cm. Topic related to Europe.
- Teacher: Patrick Mardellat