Social Change in Modern France: Towards a Cultural Anthropology of the Fifth Republic - Hardcover

Mendras, Henri; Cole, Alistair

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521391083 ISBN 13: 9780521391085

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1991

Synopsis

Social Change in Modern France is a concise and lucid account of the profound transformations that have reshaped French society over the past thirty years. The authors show how the characteristic institutions of the Third Republic have been weakened, destroyed, or severely altered in the face of a late and rapid industrialization. The church, the army, the trade unions, the schools, even the French communist party--all have lost their capacity to excite major conflict and tension, and in their stead a series of local institutions, voluntary associations and family ties have arisen, serving as the basic network for social relations and social life. Traditional French "joie de vivre" has assumed new forms, and, the authors maintain, a very sturdy and cohesive society has arisen, based on widespread consensus.

About this title

Book Description:

Tracing the profound transformations of French society over the past thirty years reveals how the institutions of the Third Republic have been weakened, destroyed, or severely altered as a consequence of accelerated industrialization.

Review:

"He offers a wide-ranging and generally persuasive description and analysis of changes which have taken place in French society since the mid-1960s. His book is well paced and full of provocative insights, like his argument that the French are mistrustful of representative democracy and favor a form of direct democracy through election of national politicians who also hold local office....I was particularly interested by Mendras's appreciation of post-1968 'cultural liberals,' his analyses of the church and its offshoots, and his perceptive comments on the increasing importance of senior citizens. Because Social Change in Modern France requires little specialized background knowledge, it would work well in an undergraduate course on modern French culture in a U.S. college." Donald Reid, Social Science Quarterly

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 0521391083
• ISBN 13: 9780521391085
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 264