Mission to Civilize: The French Way

Rosenblum, Mort

ISBN 10: 0151605807 / ISBN 13: 9780151605804

Published by Harcourt, 1986

About this Item

In the post-colonial era, France maintains and empire by a subtle combination of foreign aid and cultural association. Rosenblum, a foreign correspondent for Associated Press, examines this lingering empire continent-by-continent. He also looks at how globalization and immigration from the ex-colonies are changing France itself. x+470 pages, bibliography, index, map. Remainder mark. Out of Print. Published @ $19.95.

Seller Inventory # 14376

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Mission to Civilize: The French Way
• Publisher: Harcourt
• Publication Date: 1986
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0151605807
• ISBN 13: 9780151605804
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: New
• Dust Jacket Condition: New
• Seller catalogs:
  • France History

About this title

Synopsis

Characterizes the French way of seeing the world and probes the effects of France's age-old ability to fashion itself as a civilizing force

Reviews

This book provides a well-informed and highly readable account of the French empire over the centuries. In an era when most other empires have collapsed, the French have succeeded in maintaining much of the reality of their empire even though formal sovereignty has passed to the hands of local governments. Privileged economic, political, and military ties with former colonies are reinforced by lingering cultural ties in former French possessions that received independence decades or even centuries ago. Rosenblum, an American journalist in Paris, shows how the French emphasis on civilizing rather than colonizing has made France a cultural superpower. There is pretense and hypocrisy in this continuing empire, but also desirable self-esteem and pride in France's mission civilisatrice . Frank L. Wilson, Political Science Dept., Purdue Univ., W. Lafayette, Ind.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.