The Shadow of the Enlightenment

We have looked at French cuisine and wine as mythic concepts contributing to French identity. In what ways might a mythic concept, such as the Eiffel Tower, the baguette, or the beret symbolize a “colonized past” (Gopnik)?

Discuss one link you have noticed between Maalouf and Nora's texts, then point out a difference in the theoretical perspective that each presents.

Discuss whether or not Zola presents a sympathetic view of miners and their plight. How does he present their attitudes towards their work?

Choose a page and quote or paraphrase an idea, then comment on it by linking this particular idea with the work we have done on identity.

Write a synopsis of your research project in 3-4 sentences. If you are not doing a research project, describe a project you would have done if you had had the time.

How was the French civilising mission in West Africa different from the mission to turn peasants into Frenchmen inside France