The study of French culture has long ceased to be purely centred on literature. Undergraduate French courses now embrace all forms of cultural production and consumption, and students need to have a broad knowledge of everything from day-time TV and the latest detective novels to debates about national identity and immigration policies.



This stimulating text is an introduction to the full range of contemporary French culture. Written by a group of leading academics both within and outside France, each chapter focuses on a topic from the French cultural scene today. Starting with an overview of resources for further information (both in print and online), the text discusses the varied forms of French cultural expression and looks critically at what 'Frenchness' itself means. The book also explores examples of cultural production ranging from sport, media and literature to theatre, cinema, festivals and music. An essential resource for students and scholars alike, this text provides detailed material and analysis, as well as a launch-pad for further study.

Stuart Mole was for sixteen years a senior officer of the Commonwealth Secretariat as the organisation’s campaign reached its climax. He was the Special Assistant to Shridath ‘Sonny’ Ramphal (the second Commonwealth Secretary-General) and Director and Head of the Office of Chief Emeka Anyaoku (the third Secretary-General). He visited South Africa and the neighbouring states many times as part of the Commonwealth’s campaign. He has just completed seven years of doctoral research into the subject area, culminating in the award, in December 2020, of a History PhD from the University of Exeter. His research, which in some respects has changed his own perceptions, has involved consulting hitherto unseen or neglected archives in the UK and South Africa.