French

This course traces the evolution of political ecological thought by linking major philosophical and political theories with the social movements and concrete practices that have emerged from them. It considers how ideas transform reality, how critiques of productivism have given rise to new forms of collective action, and how political ecology has attempted to construct a response to current economic, social, and environmental impasses. Drawing on theoretical texts, case studies, contemporary controversies, and experiences of engagement, the course emphasizes the connection between academic knowledge and practical experience in the field.

This course is designed to improve French-language skills and expand cultural knowledge of the French-speaking world. It aims to prepare students for the DELF B1 exam and to provide them with the opportunity to understand the French society.

Course Prerequisite: Completion of Advanced French I or equivalent language skills is required for enrollment.

This course introduces and presents the authors and founding texts of contemporary thought; the latest works in social and political sciences, whether by philosophers, essayists, scientists, or today's key players: political decision-makers, tech innovators, and ideologists working behind the scenes to influence the world of tomorrow. All are pioneers of the most hotly debated theories. Our era is one of great ideological conflict. Antagonistic conceptions of what the future of our societies will or could look like are clashing. Each class session is an opportunity to address these disruptive ideas, which largely break down traditional categories. Four major themes bring together the most recent analyses and doctrines: new practices of power, ecological reflections that pit ideas of progress against those of degrowth in unprecedented terms, artificial intelligence as a threat or an opportunity for our societies, and finally, the questioning of traditional economic models that have always been taken for granted. A journey through the works of Peter Thiel, founder of PayPal and inspirer of Trumpism, to those of Giuliano da Empoli, the thinker behind the “new predators.” It is also be an opportunity to compare the ecological thinking of Jean-Marc Jancovici's Shift Project with Naomi Klein's radical ideas.

This course focuses primarily on the study of French diplomatic actors, their practices, and their interactions with their counterparts in various contexts, including international crisis management, multilateral negotiation processes, and power relations within the French state. At the same time, it encourages students to produce an analysis, to generalize where possible, and to propose theoretical explanations for the social phenomena studied. Designed as an interactive seminar, this course provides participants with an opportunity to refine their understanding of the issues involved and sharpen their critical thinking skills by reading selected texts and meeting with key players in the field. Thus, diplomats with varied profiles are invited to at least two sessions to allow the group to compare academic perspectives with practitioners' experiences and, for those particularly interested in careers at the Quai d'Orsay, to gain a concrete understanding of the profession. The approach draws mainly on political science, but also on sociology and history, in a multidisciplinary perspective to shed as much light as possible on the subject in all its complexity.

In addition to knowledge of the subjects explored by cultural history and political ideas over the past 25 years, this course introduces the reading and understanding of texts that have shaped European political culture. It also discusses the structures that shape mass culture.

The course is aimed at students of French interested in the development of the French language and who want to specialize in the study of orthography and understand some of the difficulties that everyone who has ever had to learn to spell in French have been confronted with. The course starts with Medieval French, when there were no rules, and follows the public debate that resulted in the emergence of a normative language with respect to both grammar and spelling. Within the scope of the course, a number of texts from different periods are discussed. The course ends with an advanced assignment where the student is expected to carry out an analysis of a self-chosen text. The approach is chosen by the student in consultation with the lecturer and should be linked to the focus of the course, that is French orthography.

This course studies the relationship between energy and urbanization, taking a global approach that gives pride of place to cities in the Global South and emphasizing a socio-material perspective and an understanding of the social practices and hierarchies that structure cities. Furthermore, energy governance is a major issue in urban policy today, particularly in the context of ecological transition. Therefore, it studies urban energy, taking into account the long term and also looking ahead to the future. In terms of methodology, the course is rooted in geography. It uses and familiarize students with certain geographical methods such as cartography and graphic visualization. It also encourages students to engage directly and critically with social science works in the form of articles and books, leading to presentations and lectures, as well as a graded written assignment.

This practical intermediate-level course in French conversation provides students with a wide variety of dialogue models in audio and text form, which they are invited to listen to, read and reproduce, before writing and performing, in groups, their own dialogue on a common theme.

The course follows a traditional chronological approach (from antiquity to the 1860s), providing an introduction to the development of major schools of thought. The emphasis is on understanding the historical, political, and cultural context that contributed to the emergence of economic doctrines. Neither a history of simple “ideas” nor a history of economic theories alone, this is a contextual history that seeks to explain how and why, in each era, different ways of thinking about economics took hold. It examines how three ages of thought follow on from and intermingle with one another: moral (conforming behavior to norms defining the good life); political (working for the prosperity and power of nations); and scientific (developing a rational explanation of economic behavior and phenomena).

This course presents the Chinese economy and its evolution over the last four decades from a macroeconomic perspective. The world's second-largest economy has several characteristics: it is opaque, constitutes a rare example of a hybrid capitalist system, and has undergone significant changes in recent years. In recent years, the Chinese economy has faced persistent internal imbalances that raise questions about the future changes to its growth model and, more broadly, the implications for its financial and trading partners. This course provides the essential tools for understanding the Chinese economy and its implications for international economic dynamics.