The "emergence of literature in eighteenth-century France" changes our understanding of when, how and why modern ideas of literature emerged in France. Using a unique blend of literary and digital methods, it argues that it was in the mid eighteenth century, rather than the nineteenth (as many have claimed), that the word littrature…

The "spatial turn" in education policy studies fuelled interest in Lefebvre's work: initially, in his work "Production of Space" and, more recently, "Rhythmanalysis" and "Right to the City". Yet, although in these texts Lefebvre critiques universities and schools and introduces original pedagogical concepts,…

This article compares the discourses, practices and politics of film education in France and Germany, and outlines their historical development. The discourses on film education in the two countries are fundamentally different: whereas German film education is anchored in the global politics of media education and around notions of…

This article seeks to provide a new reading of the work of Celestin Freinet and his use of the printing press. Specifically, this article aligns Freinet's approach to teaching and learning with a counter-reformation in pedagogical thought-an approach that places him both within and outside of the 'progressive' turn in education that began to…

The history of education in France, with its inherited link between the Republic and the religion of knowledge, produces a specific form of educational functioning, consubstantial to a tradition of selection and a symptomatic lack of what elsewhere is called a curriculum. While the recent introduction of the "common grounding of knowledge and…

Outlines the history of instruction since the early nineteenth century, and the current situation in secondary and post-secondary schools; the author encourages greater national responsibility for the organization and promotion of instruction. (Text is in French.) (MSE)

From 1955 to 1975, the French and the Americans were both active in the educational field in South Vietnam, but their objectives were different. The French were concerned with preserving their influence with the Vietnamese elites and relied on the Mission Culturelle--the heir of the colonial Direction of Education--and its prestigious high…

In this essay, a tribute to Jacques Derrida's educational efforts at expanding access to current work in philosophy, John Willinsky examines his efforts as both a public right and an element of academic freedom that bear on the open access movement today. Willinsky covers Derrida's extension and outreach work with the Groupe de Recherches pour…

"The broader perspective gained from examining educational systems of other countries has long been important and is especially so at the present time. France is of particular interest because of its strong educational traditions and its dedication to democratic principles. In the process of gathering information for this study, the author…

In 1950 in France, Dr Max Fourestier introduced the concept of dividing the school day into two parts. In the morning, students followed activities that were intellectual and classroom-oriented, and in the afternoon, they had physical education classes. This programme was implemented in Gambetta Elementary School in Vanves, a city on the outskirts…

The history and modernization of the French nursery and elementary schools are the focal points of this review of educational trends in France. One major section discussed the "Ecole Maternelle", kindergarten, nursery schools, the "Jardin d'Enfants", and new math. Another section treats: (1) "Les Ecoles Primaires",…

France is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leading force in Europe. A highly literate and well-educated society, France's education statistics for 2003 show 12.1 million French children in primary and secondary education and 2.2 million students in tertiary education. The concept of education as a market commodity--long since…