France is a country of revolution, deeply associated with left-wing political ideals and activism. Yet the right is often in power, and the extreme right exceptionally strong. In April 2022, Marine Le Pen secured a spectacular 41.4% of the vote in the second round of the presidential elections. In June 2024, the Rassemblement National and its allies received a third of the vote in the first round of the legislative elections and now have more deputies in the Assembly than ever before. How is this possible?

This module takes a fascinating journey through the development of the ideas, culture, and popular politics of the French right, tracing its importance from the late nineteenth century to the present day. With opportunities to explore a rich variety of written, visual, and audio-visual material, the module enhances historical awareness and develops key skills for the critical analysis of contemporary politics.

• How does the French right imagine society and politics, nation and Empire? How does this change?
• What role has the right played in moments of crisis and controversy, such the Dreyfus Affair, the Great Depression, Vichy France, the Algerian War of Independence, May 1968, and the gilets jaunes protests?
• How does the right target specific categories of supporters, such as workers, women, and young people?
• In what ways have charismatic leaders such as Pierre Poujade, Charles de Gaulle, and Marine Le Pen used the media to seek power, legitimacy, and support?
• Why has the extreme right remained so vigorous? How can we explain the increasing success of figures such as Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, the new president of the Rassemblement National?