Modern European History: France and Global Francophonie

Protests against ban on the veil, 2004; Reuters.
Protests against ban on the veil, 2004; Reuters.

Related Programs

Historians at Northwestern work in fields related to the domestic, colonial, and post-colonial history of France and of the former French colonies and zones of influence in the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.  Students interested in the French-speaking world can take courses which explore the politics, society, and culture of one of Europe's major nations, as well as its multiple connections to world cultures which have both absorbed and resisted its influence over the centuries.  At Northwestern, we have a particular focus on era of the Enlightenment, the Revolution, and its aftermath, and in twenty-century history of France and its colonies.  Students working on the history of French and Francophone cultures benefit from interaction with the Buffett Institute, the French Interdisciplinary Group, and the University's substantial Middle East and North African Studies Program and  Program of African Studies.