On 6 February 1934 fascist leagues and veterans rioted on the Place de La Concorde in front of the French parliament, and succeeded in casing the resignaiotn of a left-wing government. Fear that France was about to go the same way as Italy and Germany provoked the formation of an antifascist ‘popular front’ of left-wing parties, and a struggle between fascists and antifascists came to dominate political and social struggles as well as intellectual debates and foreign policy. These struggles continued after France was occupied by the Germans in 1940. Public opinion became increasingly polarised between the pro-Nazi Vichy regime and the Resistance. The purpose of this course is to explore the many ramifications of the conflict between fascists and antifascists, and to place it ion the context of France’s longer term history.

• Demonstrate familiarity with the following themes:
• Fascism. What is fascism? Were the leagues of the 1930s fascist? Was the Vichy regime fascist? To what extent was fascism indigenous to France? Was it a foreign import?
• Antifascism. How did the parties of the French left (Communists, Socialists and Radical-Socialists) respond to the rise of fascism in both domestic and international politics? To what extent were these responses shaped by the French Republican tradition and by international circumstances?
• Intellectuals and commitment. In what ways did artists and intellectuals respond to the rise of fascism? Political commitment or ‘art for art’s sake?’
• Politics and Society The relationship between the political struggles of the period and the class and gender structure of French society. Was France a ‘stalemate society?’ Does the concept of ‘modernisation’ help us to understand the history of France in this period? Did the position of women, workers and the peasantry change in the period? To what extent can both left and right be described as ‘exclusive’ in terms of class, gender and religion?
• to formulate and justify their own arguments and conclusions about a range of issues in the context of seminar discussions

to present their arguments clearly and concisely in one non-assessed critical review of 1000 words and one assessed essay of 2000 words, in accordance with appropriate scholarly conventions, and in examination answers.

A range of teaching methods will be used in each of the sessions of the course, comprising a combination of lectures, seminar discussion of major issues and workshops for the study of primary source material. The syllabus is divided into a series of major course themes, then sub-divided into principal topics for the study of each theme.

Lectures:

The aim of the lectures is to provide a brief introduction to a particular topic, establishing the salient features of major course themes, identifying key issues and providing historiographical guidance. The lectures aim to provide a basic framework for understanding and should be thought of as useful starting points for further discussion and individual study. Where appropriate, handouts and other materials may be distributed to reinforce the material discussed.

Seminar and Source Workshops:

The primary aim of the sessions will be to generate debate and discussion amongst course participants, focused in particular on primary source material. Seminars and source workshops for each of the course topics will provide an opportunity for students:

(a) to discuss topics or issues introduced by the lectures,

or(b) to discuss related themes, perhaps not directly addressed by the lectures, but drawing on ideas culled from those lectures.

and(c) to analyse different types of primary sources available, discussing the principal ways in which they can be used by historians.

Seminars and source workshops will provide the student with guidance on how to critically approach the various types of primary source material. Preparation for seminars and workshops will focus on specific items from the sources and related background reading, with students preparing answers to questions provided for each session. Both seminars and source workshops will provide an opportunity to discuss and debate the issues with fellow students. Classes will be divided into smaller groups for discussion purposes, with the results presented as part of an overall class debate at the end of the session.

• communicate ideas and arguments effectively, whether in class discussion or in written form, in an accurate, succinct and lucid manner.
• formulate and justify arguments and conclusions about a range of issues, and present appropriate supporting evidence
• an ability to modify as well as to defend their own position.
• an  ability to think critically and challenge assumptions
• an ability to use a range of information technology resources to assist with information retrieval and assignment presentation.
• time management skills and an ability to independently organise their own study methods and workload.
• work effectively with others as part of a team or group in seminar or tutorial discussions.   

Students will be assessed by means of a combination of one essay relating to primary sources [20%], an assessed essay [30%] and an examination paper [50%].

Course assignments:

1. The essay relating to primary sources will contribute 20% of the final mark for the module and must be no longer than 1,000 words.
2. The Assessed Essay will contribute 30% of the final mark for the module. It is designed to give students the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to review evidence, draw appropriate conclusions from it and employ the formal conventions of scholarly presentation. It must be no longer than 2,000 words.
3. The Examination will take place during the second assessment period [May/June] and will consist of an unseen two hour paper that will contribute the remaining 50% of the final mark for this module. Students must write 2 answers in total.  

French society and politics, 1934-1939; Trotsky’s Whither France, Paul Nizan’s The Conspiracy; The fall of France; The Vichy regime and the resistance; Sartre’s The Flies; Vercors’ The Silence of the Sea.

Julian Jackson, The Popular Front in France (1990)

Julian Jackson, France, The Dark Years 1940-44 (2001)

Trotsky, Leon, Whither France? (New Park, 1974, ISBN: 0 902030 53 1)

Jean-Paul Sartre, The Flies (Penguin edition, Altona and Other Plays)

Paul Nizan, The Conspiracy (Verso, 1988)

Vercors, The Silence of the Sea (edited by James W. Brown and Lawrence D. Stokes (Berg, 1991 ISBN: 0 85496 378 2)