FRE 107B: Making of Modern France
Prof. Claire Goldstein
Course Description: Read real historical documents, analyze painting and architecture, and re-enact philosophical debates about important social issues in this quarter’s exploration of the political and cultural history of France from the beginning of the seventeenth century through the middle of the nineteenth century. Highlights of our survey will include: Henri IV’s edict of Nantes, which ended the French Religious Wars; Versailles and Louis XIV’s cultural and political project of French absolutism; Enlightenment polemics about economic inequality and religious toleration; the revolution of 1789; the rise of Napoleon; and the industrial transformation of Paris in the nineteenth century. We will engage topics such as the role of women and minorities in society and France’s relationship with the broader world as students hone reading, writing, and speaking skills in French.
General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE)
Prerequisite: French 23 or consent of the instructor
Course Meetings: Tues + Thurs 10:30-11:50 (Olson 227)
Professor Contact: cbgoldstein@ucdavis.edu
All course materials on Canvas