French

From the wearing of the abaya in schools to the dissolution of religious associations and the debate on secularism… current events provide us with numerous examples showing that the law has become the primary arena for debate on the role of religion. It is up to the law to define religion, to set its boundaries, and to determine its legitimate forms and acceptable expressions. This course provides a better understanding of this contemporary demand placed on the law and its professionals (legislators, judges, legal experts, etc.) by tracing the major stages in the establishment of religion as a legal subject. To this end, the course clarifies the interactions between law and the social sciences within the various frameworks (sociological, historical, anthropological) for understanding the relationship between law and religion; draws conclusions regarding the various legal regimes applicable to religion (in France, North America, and European case law); and examines these dynamics in action through several case studies (wearing religious symbols in school, Pastafarianism, circumcision).

With the dual objective of introducing contemporary political philosophy and reflecting on often heated public controversies, this course focuses on the challenges posed by pluralism, as it is, in fact and in law, an essential characteristic of liberal democratic societies. First, it studies how the state and public institutions can manage the antagonistic plurality of worldviews and conceptions of the good, focusing on three models: tolerance, recognition, and the governance of diversity. The course then asks on what basis it is possible to reach agreement in a context of pluralism. Is it possible to reach public agreement while respecting the disagreements and even conflicts that are an inevitable manifestation of pluralism? Or is it not the very nature of a pluralistic democracy to break with any quest for unanimity, or even consensus? Finally, the course analyzes the concrete challenges that arise when pluralism is taken into account in different areas of public policy: moral and civic education, the management of religious diversity (secularism), the integration of foreigners (from reception to naturalization), and European integration as embodied by the EU. From these different angles, the course considers what a liberal-democratic citizenship that takes pluralism seriously, both in theory and in practice, would consist of.

This course provides the knowledge and language skills needed to analyze literary texts: enunciative approach (subjectivity, modalities), relationship to reality (modes of reference), use of indicative tenses (values and uses).

This course introduce the principles and significance of research methodology in anthropology, with an emphasis on both theoretical understanding and practical application. It covers designing and conducting anthropological research, using qualitative and, when relevant, quantitative approaches. Particular attention is given to fieldwork methods, ethical considerations, and the collection, analysis, and interpretation of anthropological data (interviews, participant observation, surveys, archives). The course also develops proficiency in organizing, processing, and critically analyzing information produced during research.

This course provides an overview of the main theories and the European policies in the field of global justice. The globalization of economic exchanges and the universalization of risk have challenged the classical theories of justice and democracy, meant to apply to small communities, and have caused a paradigm change in the field of political and social theory. Contemporary global issues, like climate change, global risk, poverty and migration, have required transnational and international legal regulation and public policies. In theory, they have given way to new conceptions of justice, democracy, sovereignty, citizenship and human rights, which are assumed to be adequate to the new international political order. Global justice, deliberative democracy, cosmopolitan citizenship, universal human rights, “multicultural rights”, “the rights of others”, are some of the concepts used by political theorists to describe the current situation. Among the new concepts and constructions, many have proved to be controversial, including the relationship between the concepts of justice and democracy, of particularism and cosmopolitanism, of equality and difference.

This course introduces general linguistics and its theoretical and empirical framework. It studies two areas, morphology and syntax, and examines the different linguistic systems of the world's languages, with particular attention to their structural similarities and differences.

Can Turkey's internal contradictions prevent it from fulfilling its ambition to become a major power? Although it remains weakened by certain internal divisions, Turkey seems to be successfully transforming itself on the international stage, moving from the status of a marginal power to that of a regional power. This course analyzes the drivers of this transformation, asking how far this ambition could take Ankara, between disenchantment (falling into line) and real change (global influence). The course covers essential knowledge about Turkey and its place in the new global order; builds critical analysis and synthesis skills by confronting sometimes opposing ideas or divergent opinions (e.g., by studying texts that present different points of view on the same subject); and practices constructing, producing, and writing a press article.

This course offers a thematic approach to Greek archaeology, examining the material foundations of daily, civic, military, religious, and cultural life in the ancient Greek world. Topics include the archaeology of the city, warfare, death and funerary practices, spectacle, trade and exchange, and sanctuaries. Through the study of urban plans, domestic and public architecture, and major monumental complexes, students gain insight into how Greek societies were structured and organized from the Archaic to the Hellenistic periods. Emphasis is placed on developing the ability to read and interpret archaeological plans, understand spatial organization, and compare key sites across the Greek world within a solid chronological framework.

This course provides an overview of the history of contemporary anthropology, as well as to examine certain changes in the society of the People’s Republic of China from an anthropological perspective. To this end, students read newspaper articles and academic research articles, in French and possibly in English; class time is devoted to collectively discussing the content of these articles.

Since 2022, the departure of French troops from the Sahel has marked the end of large-scale military operations that proved to be strategic failures for France. Among the criticisms leveled at political and military leaders, one recurring accusation is that they acted like a colonial power. To what extent did this “colonial legacy” influence the military intervention in the Sahel? What role did more recent legacies play (decolonization wars, “Françafrique” military cooperation, counterterrorism)? This course investigates these legacies by studying French officers' representations of African societies, Islam and jihad, and racial and ethnic categorizations. The sessions are organized around surveys and presentations by students and discussions with journalists and researchers in history and political science.