2008/09 Undergraduate Module Catalogue
HIST2150 France since 1944
20 creditsClass Size: 28
Module manager: Dr M Föllmer
Email: M.Foellmer@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2008/09
This module is not approved as an Elective
Module summary
This module examines the political, cultural and social history of France from 1944 to the present. Major topics to be discussed include: the difficult legacy of a conflict-ridden pre-war political culture and of German occupation; decolonisation and its domestic repercussions, in particular the wars in Indochina and Algeria; the tension between parliamentary and presidential democracy as exemplified in General De Gaulle's political career; the large-scale effort to modernise France and its profound impact on society; communism, the alternative left and the revolt of 1968; finally, the decades since 1970, when a prosperous consumer society coexisted with sharp social and ethnic differences, a radical critique on the left and rampant racism on the right.Objectives
On completion of this module students should:- have an informed understanding of the political, cultural and social history of France since 1944
- be familiar with the important problems which the historiography of the period raises as well as with a selection of crucial sources
- express their ideas and arguments effectively in group discussions
- have further developed their reading, analytical and writing skills.
Skills outcomes
Enhances Common Skills listed below:
High-level skills in oral and written communication of complex ideas.
Independence of mind and self-discipline and self-direction to work effectively under own initiative.
Ability to locate, handle and synthesize large amounts of information.
Capacity to employ analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Ability to engage constructively with the ideas of their peers, tutors and published sources.
Empathy and active engagement with alternative cultural contexts.
Syllabus
Liberation and Renewal (1944-1946);
The Fourth Republic (1946-1958);
Decolonisation and the Wars in Indochina and Algeria;
De Gaulle's Republic (1958-1967);
Modernising France in the 1950s and 1960s;
The Revolt of 1968;
Politics, Society and Culture, 1969-1983;
Politics, Society and Culture, 1983-present;
Overview I: France in Europe and the World;
Overview II: Transformations of National Identity
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Lecture | 11 | 1.00 | 11.00 |
| Tutorial | 6 | 1.00 | 6.00 |
| Private study hours | 183.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 17.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200.00 | ||
Private study
Exam preparation; researching, preparing, and writing assignments; undertaking set reading; and self-directed reading around the topic.Opportunities for Formative Feedback
Contributions to class discussions, an assessed oral presentation, one assessed essay.Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Essay | 1 x 2,000 word assessed essay to be delivered Friday Week 7 | 30.00 |
| Oral Presentation | Oral contribution in class, can be resat with 'an equivalent written exercise' | 10.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 40.00 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Exams
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
| Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc) | 2 hr 00 mins | 60.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 60.00 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 13/04/2010
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