POS 245: French Politics & Government: Background Reading

The Oxford Handbook of French Politics provides a comprehensive and comparative overview of the French political system through the lens of political science.The Handbook is organized into three parts: the first part identifies foundational concepts for the French case, including chapters on republicanism and social welfare; the second part focuses on thematic large-scale processes, such identity, governance, and globalization; while the third partexamines a wide range of issues relating to substantive politics and policy, among which are chapters on political representation, political culture, social movements, economic policy, gender policy, and defense and security policy. NOTE this was published in 2016, so it will not have information past that date.

The book provides an excellent description of French institutions and ensures readers access to background information through discussing historical developments, political forces, public policy, and the evolution of important aspects of French society.