French language and its national identity

What is the role of French Language in its National identity?

The French language has historically played a dual role in French society. As with most languages, it is a means of communication between people and between the government and its citizens. In France, language is much more than that. It is the underpinning of its ideology, linking national identity with the French language.

In fact, going back as far as 1635, when the Académié Français was founded, the state sought to regulate and codify the French language. As an elite language, French was the language spoken by diplomats when conducting international affairs in the 19th century. Also, as the self-appointed caretaker of civilization, most literary works and scientific journals were written in French. France enjoyed her role as the Mecca of culture and intellectual thought on the European continent.

Throughout history France has sought to retain and promote her superiority by her Kings and Monarchs. For example, the “state”, under Napoleon 111, promoted “Frenchness” by initiating great public works, as with Baron Haussmann’s renovation projects between 1853-1870, contributing to the look and feel of France with its grand boulevards and museums etc.

Modernity and the onslaught of globalization have prompted France to be more pro-active in preserving her historical and cultural preeminence. For example, state sponsored education made it compulsory for children to attend school, and, to not only learn French but also France’s cultural heritage and her place in history.

All state business is conducted in French despite the regional languages of the Basque or Corsica regions to name a few.

France’s national identity is also linked with her self-perception as the world’s role model. With her long history of intellectual, artistic, and diplomatic success, France sees itself as having a privileged historic destiny, and part of France’s exceptionalism lies in her language with its rich and colorful pedigree.

1-What are the new forms of social division in Modern France? What created the social division and fragmentation?

The new forms of social division in France today have more to do with age and place than class and breeding.

One factor that contributed to this age division is the effect of unemployment on young workers. In 1985, the unemployment rate of men between the ages of 15 & 24 was over 30% and 20% for young women. This is an incredible statistic when you put it into context. Young people represent about 15% of the total population. So there was a disproportionate share of the unemployment burden on France’s youth. Ironically, this high rate was in spite of France having the second highest ratio (35.3%), throughout the European Union, of 21 year olds in higher education. The jobs were in the middle-aged population, creating a mistrust of older citizens, and the State system that failed them. Along with this perception was the fact that younger people delayed moving out on their own due to a lack of upward mobility and money. This created the need to live with parents and grandparents further creating generational tension.

Another reason for this fragmentation of the social fabric of France is the difference in the attitude towards urban dwellers and non-urban. Paris and other large cities had more opportunities for cultural endeavors, even though cities were seen in terms of high employment, crime and violence. Finally, with large numbers of low skilled, low education immigrants competing for jobs with France’s young people, this further created tension between different races. This had the effect of exacerbating any feelings of xenophobia.

1. How did French cultural and economic specificities survive globalization?

France’s reaction to globalization resulted in a couple of things to ensure a French national identity, specifically France wanted to stem the tide of what she perceived as a form of “cultural imperialism”. To French purists it must be disheartening to see Mc Donalds and Star Bucks on the Champs-Elysees

One way France tried to instill French culture throughout the country was to promote French festivals and art performances in the suburbs and rural areas to remind people of the rich historical and cultural heritage of France. Music festivals also were quite common in the 1980’s as part of Jack Lang’s desire for “cultural cathedrals” bringing culture to the people. Another uniquely French obsession is the Tour de France, the pre-eminent bike race held annually in France. Interestingly, two of the major sponsors are the American icon, Coca-Cola, and an Italian car manufacturer, and not strictly a French connection. What irony! This one event is known throughout the world and is very, very French. Another way of retarding global influences is the use of language. France insists the use of French as the dominant spoken language even though there is acceptance for several other languages, like from the Breton, Occitan, Basque, and Catalan provinces.

2. What do you know about José Bové? What do you think about his actions?

José Bové was the Leader of French farmers and a member of the “alter-globalization movement”. He was a social activist and has a long history within France's social justice movements including being anti-military, pro-agricultural, as well as promoting organic farming and protesting nuclear weapons.

His most famous event, which gave him worldwide fame, occurred in 1999 with the willful destruction of a Mc Donald’s in Milan. (http:/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ José_ Boué#controversies). This was in protest to U.S policy of imposing restrictions on the importation of Roquefort cheese, which hurt local French farmers and peasants. Also he did it to raise awareness to

Mc Donald’s use of hormone-treated beef.

His mantra:

Alter Globalization

He is not against globalization, just promoting alternative kinds of globalization that is worker sensitive, planetary sensitive, ecologically and environmentally friendly.

I support his actions except for the destruction of private property.

3. How is the condition of women in France?

Despite gains in all areas of French society, since women ¬won the right to vote in 1945, there are still disparities in politics, education, and business. Women’s desire to work outside the home was made easier by state supported childcare. This includes nursery schools, after-school programs, and holiday clubs.

Also, women working full time, according to a poll by (Le Point, 4 July of 1998), moms spent on average 3 hours per day on child related activities, as opposed to one hour per day by Dads. In education, even though women had the same education level as men, only 69% landed executive type jobs while men enjoyed an 83% success rate. In politics, the percentage is even more striking. For example in 1997, only 10.9% of women were involved political life.

Only Greece had a lower percentage of all the countries (27) in the European common market. At the end of the millennium Politics is still very much a male club.

4. What is the difference between French Feminism and Anglo-Saxon Feminism?

The main difference between the feminist on either side of the Atlantic Ocean has to do with the focus of the movement. For example, Anglo-American feminist are viewed by some as being more concerned with social and economic parity. Barriers to political access, and economic opportunity were their focus. In France, feminists were motivated by the more theoretical and abstract ideas. For example, French language is masculine or feminine for every noun. They note a distinction between the gender of the word and the sex of the person it refers to. This sometimes causes confusion as in “Madame le minister”.

Some critics of Anglo-American feminist view their dogma as one of emasculating men and taking power from them, while French feminist, as a whole, love men for who and what they see, they just want to “tame” them as they reach equality.

5. What is “La Parité”?

La Parité is the term used to describe “equal representation between men and women in parliament”

6. How are sexual differences perceived in France? What are the PACS?

France has always had a reputation, in the U.S. the last 50 years or so, as not having any sexual hang-ups compared to Victorian attitudes of the U.K and America. However, as recently as 1960 French law branded “homosexuality” as a social scourge (fleau-social). In fact, General de Gaulle, in 1945 endorsed a law introduced earlier in 1945 by the Vichy regime, criminalizing homosexual acts where one partner was under the age of 21. There was no similar restriction pertaining to heterosexual couples. Sadly, the Vichy supporters in WWII aided the Germans, by rounding up and deporting homosexuals to the death camps along with Jews, gypsies, and communists. However, despite this period between 1942 and 1982, for the most part homosexuals endured less discrimination in government than gays in Britain, even though the general population still resisted approval especially with regard to child rearing.

Activist organizations like Arcadia and Act-Up have worked to educate and promote gay civil rights. In literature, art, and film gay themes have steadily become common. From the early 1970’s some writers earned prestige, and whose works were validated by French literary society include, Dominique Fernandez, Yves Navarre, Héléne de mon Ferrand, and Monique Witting to name a few.

French cinema also mirrored society as a whole by proclaiming films like “Les Nuits Fauves” and “Gazon maudit”. There are many more films and filmmakers too numerous to mention in the abbreviated answer.

What are the PACS?

The PACS is an acronym for “pacte civil de soliarité” in other words equal rights to cohabiting couples, including same sex couples.

With the exception of the AIDS crisis in France, no other single issue was more important than the legal recognition of same sex couples in the gay/lesbian community.

Finally, in 1999 a bill allowing the PACS was approved by the French National Assembly.

7. What are the different regional cultures in France?

The different regional cultures in France include the Bretons, the Basques, the Occitans, and the Catalans.

8. What are the different religions in France and what is the attitude of the French State toward them?

Perhaps, one of the most controversial issues in France today is religious tolerance. As a pre-dominantly Catholic country with, as of 1995, according to a poll by (Etat de la France, 202-5), 80% of French citizens consider themselves Catholic.

However, Islam is now becoming a second largest religion in France, as well as Judaism and Buddhism having representation as well. Buddhism’s appeal could be that it promotes peace and tranquility and challenges people to change from within,

France has had to come to terms with the mantra of the French Revolution’s words of- liberty, equality and fraternity. In the famous case of the “headscarf” which is worn by Muslim women, the Counsil d’Etat, ruled, that the girls in question could wear the headscarf to honor their religious belief’s, without violating the rules of Lalcite (separation of church and state). The court affirmed that, Catholics wearing crosses or Jews wearing yarmulkas enjoyed the same religious freedom that Muslims were seeking. Despite its missteps, inequalities, and biases towards the treatment of different religions, the French constitution guarantees basic rights to all religions despite the dominant religious tradition.

1. What is the role of festivals for French national identity? What festivals?

The role of festivals in France is one of entertainment of course, but also, it is an opportunity for French men and women to reflect on historical events and values that make France unique and what she is today. Most importantly, the celebration of festivals is a way of keeping the debate or discussion about language, citizenship and "frenchness" at the front of the national consciousness and agenda. It is also a vehicle to promote "frenchness" around the world, highlighting French culture and artistic endeavors. For example, fete national, the birthday of the Republic on July 14. Festivals are also an example of Jack Lang’s vision of democratizing culture by uniting different social groups, generations and cultural tastes like fete de la musique, which showcases many types of music.

2. What do these festivals say about French mentality?

I answered the question partially in my previous answer; however I also want to mention the Tour de France and the celebration of France winning the world cup in 1998. The Tour de France promotes the historical and cultural heritage abroad. The entire world over a three-week period and over 2000 miles gets to see the back roads of France with its castles, chateaus and vineyards, as well as its warm and friendly people. Mixing politics and sports can be seen in an atmosphere celebrating inclusiveness in French contemporary society. Its multi-ethnic soccer players, show the world, as well as its own citizens, that everyone can get along.

3. What is the status of national press in France today?

In France today, the national press has declined, in terms of readership, steadily since its heyday around the turn of the century. For example, le petit Parisian reached a circulation of over 1,000,000 readers by 1900. Even in countries like the U.S., newspapers are slowly becoming obsolete as readers get their news from television, radio stations, and the internet. The top three papers in France, Le Parisien, Le Figaro and Le Monde all have their problems with sluggish readership due in part from T.V. and the internet, but also because of a higher cover price and higher distribution and labor costs. There has also been a decline in the number of daily news papers from a high of nearly 32 papers in 1944, down to only 11 today, with only a few with any significant number of readers, like the three mentioned above plus, Liberation. Declining advertising revenue has also contributed to the unprofitability of daily newspapers thus discouraging any investment from the business world.

Just as cinema, T.V. and other cultural arenas needed subsidies to survive, so too did newspapers need subsidies. Part of these subsidies were given to help with high distribution and production costs as well as developing new ways to encourage readership, like home delivery for example. Also, offering "on-line" versions of newspapers were encouraged, and are enjoying much success as with the on-line version of Liberation and Les Echo's.

Another reason for newspaper readership’s decline is the personal preference of the magazine, for example, Tele 7 Jours, which is a TV listing magazine and has a readership over 2 ½ million people.

4. Which papers are the most successful? What magazines are successful? Why?

The most successful newspapers are Le Parisien, Le Figaro, Le Monde, and Liberation.

Le Parisien has been successful due in part to producing two different editions each day. One, devoted to national news, and the other devoted to local news. Another feature is the opinions of five regular folks that are published in the paper, so citizens hear the voice of the average person in France. Another set of popular papers are Le Echos, which caters to the business reader and L’Equipe for the sports enthusiast.

Some of the popular magazines focus on local stories as well as women’s issues like Elle and Paris-Match. In fact, the leading women’s magazine today is the revitalized, Femme Actuele, with a weekly readership of 1.6 million.

Another, example of the success of some magazines is the specialization of focus. Just as in the women’s magazine, like Elle, there is L’Auto Journal, for the automobile owners.

Other successes have been in men’s magazines with the French equivalent of Men’s Health, Kromosom, Max, and M Magazine. These diversifications of content from strictly politics to include culture and society’s interests have contributed to the success of magazines and a few newspapers.

5. How has the relationship between the media (radio-television) and the state evolved in modern France?

The French broadcasting industry was dominated by the role of the state beginning in 1903 with entities like the RTF (Radio Television Francais) until around 1974.

The president at the time, Giscard d’Estainge, broke up the broadcasting corporation into seven independent units, with the State being the majority shareholder. It was not until 1982 that the State gave up its government monopoly of programming decisions. Eventually, by 1996, for example, music was limited to “40% of music must be in French” and the other 60% of programming was dictated by management with respect to profitability. The three big stations were RTL, RML, and Europe I

The new broadcasting law of 1986, removed the State monopoly of transmission systems and by 1987, French viewers had six different channels to choose from. Two were public stations, and four were revenue driven. Some popular stations like M6 and TFI, air American TV shows like Friends, Seinfeld, and Ally McBeal. Another popular TV show that caters to older women is Les Felix de L’Amour, and of course the big TV game show Le Bigdil, and FR3’s Journal Télévisé.

6. What role did Messiaen play to change French music?

Messiaen was, and is important to French musical historians because of his vision, his openness to new music, and his enthusiasm for traditional music of the century. His inspirations came from listening to the melodies produced by birds simply singing, and by his Roman Catholic Faith. Up to this point France’s musical ear was criticized by both Andre Malraux and the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. France’s musical taste was notoriously conservative and resisted modernity. Olivier Messiaen was appointed to teach traditional harmony at the prestigious Conservatoire. It was here that Messiaen’s influence was greatest, because he embraced new forms of music; this attitude encouraged his students to expand their minds and compose music differently. For example, his most well known student, Pierre Boulez, utilized a system of twelve tones, called serialism, to compose new and exciting music.

7. What do you know about Pierre Boulez?

Pierre Boulez, utilized a system of twelve tones called serialism, to compose new and exciting music. An example of this new music is the piece called Le Mateau sans maitre, (the hammer without a master). It was premiered at the Darmstadt Festival in 1954 and was based on the poems of René Char. It received wide acclaim and established Boulez as the leader of European Musical Avante Garde. He later began a very successful conducting career. Also, he encouraged the actor Jean-Louis Barrault to put on four concerts of contemporary music at the Petit-Marigny. Boulez wanted “to provide a means of communication between the composers of our time and the public that is interested in its time”

Today Boulez has an international reputation as a great conductor of 20th century music, playing with the world’s finest musicians in the BBC symphony, the New York philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, and the Berlin Philharmonic.

After a brief self-imposed exile to Germany, because of a philosophical difference between Andre Malraux’s reforms, and specifically with Landowski’s jaded backward looking methods, returned to France at the urging of President Pompidou in 1970. With some generous funding from the State, Boulez started IRCAM, (Institute de recherches et de coordination accoustique/ musique), for the advancement of musical technique and sound production.

8. Who are the French Intellectuals? What do they represent?

French intellectuals have a long and dynamic role in French politics, culture, and society. Going back to the period of the “enlightenment” intellectuals like Rousseau, Voltaire, and Diderot contributed to the philosophical debate over the direction of the Republic. In many ways, they gave voice to the masses and paved the way for the French Revolution. Their writings, with regard to power and the State, gave impetus for new ways of thinking about human and social relationships. For example, Voltaire came to the defense of Jean Calas in a case of religious prejudice and injustice that laid the groundwork for the protest over the Dreyfus Affair. Other early writers and historians include Aurore Dupin, George Sand, Earnest Renan, and Victor Hugo. The influential writer, Emile Zola was significant too when he wrote an incendiary attack on the State for the railroading of Dreyfus and the effects of anti-Semitism in contemporary France.

Some other notable and contemporary intellectuals include Albert Camus, Raymond Allen, and of course the most famous and the “mother of all French intellectuals”, Jean-Paul Sartre.

Intellectuals in France today can be found in the writings about specific events, like, Gills Perrault in 1991, who criticized French involvement in the first Iraq war. Also significant was the controversial Regis Debray’s analysis of Milosevic’s role in Kosovo and Frances involvement in the Balkans.

Another area to find French intellectuals is in the reviews of magazines like Espirit, Le Débat, Les Temps modernes, and Commentaire. Editors like Paul Thibaud of Espirit, and Olivier Mongin, offer commentary on the modern democratic model, and the inequities that exist in a free market economy, with reoccurring themes of social injustice in society.

Until the late 1970’s intellectual discourse was pretty much relegated to the written word. The arrival of television with its awesome power of mass distribution of ideas, led intellectuals like Regis Debray to acknowledge a shift in symbolic power in France. Debray argued, that the advent of mass media required the reorganization, of the concentration of “culture power” so intellectuals could be heard. Therefore, they needed to become media personalities so the media would follow and expose their writings to a mass audience, just as Omar Khadafy, Sadam Hussein or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad do when they use mass media to wage their cultural ideological war against the West. Intellectuals too had to harness the power of mass media to counter act the forces of social injustice.

Other notable contemporary intellectuals are Bernard- Henri-Levy with writings like “La Barbarie a visage humain, and L’Idedogie francais. Their critiques and commentaries appeared regularly in several publications like Le Monde, Le Matin, and Le Quotidien de Paris.” Also, Pierre Bourdieu, a well known sociologist, brought criticism out from behind books to the streets of France. He intervened, for example, on behalf of striking students, striking workers, and against the NATO bombing of Kosovo.

Perhaps the most recognizable women intellectual is Simone de Beauvoir, others include Mona Ozouf, Michelle Perrot, Helene-Cixous, Julia Kristeva, and of course the esteemed Dr. Helene Laroche Davis.

In my view , the intellectual’s primary reasonability is to express the conscience of the masses as the guardians of justice, truth and reason, and to give shape and context to its criticisms of “power” and social injustice.