FR256 The Right in France from the Dreyfus Affair to the Present
| Module Code: FR256 |
|---|
| Module Name: The Right in France from the Dreyfus Affair to the Present |
| Module Coordinator: Dr Jessica Wardhaugh |
| Term 1 |
| Module Credits: 15 |
N.B. Students taking this module should have French at A-Level (or equivalent) standard
Module Description
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 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?
One week of the module normally includes a visit to the Modern Records Centre for hands-on experience with their archival collections on the 1930s, the Resistance, and May 1968. You can find out more by viewing our short film, made with previous students on this module.
Advice and support are always available from the module tutor on how to include original research in your formative and summative work, whether you would like to work in the Modern Records Centre or to explore digital resources on Gallica and the Institut National de l'Audiovisuel.
Students taking the module in 2024–25 said:
‘In-depth and well-explained lectures covering the historical context and modern context of the far right in France’
‘Formative assignment feedback was super helpful and I appreciated having the opportunity to practise doing a close analysis as I had never done one before’
‘There was a range of primary source material in the Sourcebook, allowing for a comprehensive introduction to political primary analysis’
‘The resources available outside of class were incredibly useful’
‘Interesting and varied documents and posters from the different periods’
‘Enjoyed visiting the Modern Records Centre, which I hadn’t know anything about before’
‘The Sourcebook is laid out helpfully and the weekly worksheets are really detailed as well’
‘Really enjoyed the module, thank you!’
Preparatory/vacation reading
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We develop our analytical skills by exploring a wide variety of primary material, including posters, speeches, songs, broadcasts and archival sources. Click on the following links to sample some of this material and think about what you would like to explore further:
- In preparation for the course, it would be helpful to purchase at least one general textbook or overview of the history of the right that you can use for reference, e.g. Chris Millington, A History of Fascism in France, from the First World War to the National Front (2020), or J.G.Shields, The Extreme Right in France from Pétain to Le Pen (2007). You will find full details on recommended reading via the Module Reading List on Talis aspire.
Assessment Method (2025–26):
One 2250-2500-word essay (70%) + one 1250-1500-word close analysis (30%). You are welcome to write on your own choice of question or source, provided that you agree your choice with the module tutor.
Seminars include group work on strategies for writing essays and close analyses. Sample essays and analyses from previous years are also available for consultation on the Moodle page.
