A Nation? Peasants, Language, and French Identity - France Since 1871

Explore the complex development of French national identity in this 48-minute lecture from Yale University's "France Since 1871" course. Delve into the interplay between the spread of the French language and the persistence of regional dialects and cultural practices. Examine how modernization efforts, including transportation improvements and education reforms, shaped the relationship between rural France and the metropolitan center. Analyze the role of schoolteachers and schoolhouses in promoting national identity while navigating regional differences. Gain insights into the ongoing tension between centralized French identity and diverse local traditions, challenging simplistic narratives of cultural homogenization. Discover how French schools continue to negotiate national and regional identities in contemporary France.

- Chapter 1. The Birth of National Identity and Agents of Modernization
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- Chapter 2. Regional Languages of France
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- Chapter 3. Modernization of Transportation: Roads, Railways and Identity-Formation
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- Chapter 4. Schoolteachers and Schoolhouses: Education, the State, and Identity
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- Chapter 5. French Schools and Regional Identity Today
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