Introduction  to  French  Cultural  Studies  

According   to   the   introductions   and   first   chapters   of   the   books,   French   Cultural  

Studies  by  Jill  Forbes  and  Michael  Kelly,  French  Popular  Culture  by  Hugh  Dauncy  and  Popular  

Culture   in   Modern   France   by   Brian   Rigby   that   culture   and   identity   has   always   been   linked  

together   because   culture   is   evidently   one   of   the   ways   which   identity   (may   it   be   national  

identity,  ethnic  identity  or  personal  identity)  is  conveyed  and  constructed.    

For  all  that,  let  us  all  go  back  to  the  fundamentals  and  grasp  what  really  is  cultural  

studies.  In  general,  cultural  studies  means  the  analysis  of  culture  understood  in  the  broadest  

and  most  inclusive  sense  of  the  word.  Cultural  studies  collapses  the  distinctions  frequently  

made   between   `culture'   and   `non-­‐culture',   or   what   are   more   commonly   known   as   `high  

culture'   or   la   culture   cultivee   and   `popular   culture'.   Cultural   studies   rejects   the   social  

narrowness  or  exclusivity  demonstrated  by  such  definitions  and  the  implicit  system  of  values  

that   underpin   them.   Cultural   studies   strips   culture   of   elitism   and   hierarchical   ordering,  

broadening   and   extending   the   definition   of   culture   to   include   such   texts   and   practices   as  

cinema,   television,   popular   music,   advertising   and   the   like.   Furthermore,   Dauncy   claims   that  

French   cultural   identity   itself   has   often   been   ignored   in   discussion   of   French   culture   that  

could  actually  be  the  barrier  to  cultural  exchanges  of  the  French  society.  

The   three   documents   state   that   identities   are   the   carriers   of   values   and   norms  

manifested   in   social   structures,   institutions   and   relationship   of   power.   These   identities   are  

widely  affected  by  several  factors  such  as  the  traumas  of  citizens  caused  by   modern  warfare  

particularly   the   German   occupations,   the   Franco-­‐Prussian   War   and   the   Great   War.   Identities  

are   also   influenced   by   inevitable   technological   advances   and   mass   production   of   popular  

press,   films,   images   and   music   by   the   Culture   Industry.   France   has   also   experienced   the  

emergence  of  globalization  wherein  Anglo-­‐American  cultural  dominance  started  to  take  the  
place   of   French   national   culture.   Another   factor   is   the   strike   of   10   million   workers   during  

May   of   1968   that   caused   the   collapse   of   the   presidency   of   Charles   de   Gaulle.   This   event   had  

caused   the   public   to   be   liberal   and   politically   active   in   alleviating   their   education   and  

employment   conditions.   And   finally,   the   violence   of   the   ever-­‐prevailing   capitalist   system.  

This   had   given   the   biggest   impact   in   French   culture   because   of   he   aggravation   of   the  

situation   between   the   trades   people   and   small   farmers   and   the   dominance   of   the   city  

against  country.  The  perfect  example  of  this  is  the  hegemony  of  Paris  over  the  rest  of  France  

that  resulted  to  tensions  because  Paris  is    gives  the  impression  of  being  the  “standard.”  The  

working   class   (which   is   depicted   as   the   hero   against   the   capitalist   system,   the   unwashed  

barbarian   and   the   long-­‐suffering   laborer   by   Forbes   and   Kelly)   who   is   expected   to   be  

oppresses   and   manipulated   by   the   bourgeosie.   This   upper   stratum   is   meant   to   control   the  

trade  and  industry,  professions  and  the  state  itself.    

The  three  introductions  concluded  that  French  culture  has  indeed  a  lot  to  offer  not  

just  in  France  but  also  for  the  rest  of  the  world.  As  Levi-­‐Strauss  said  that  “The  richness  and  

multiplicity   of   its   cultural   discourses   are   a   guarantee   that   it   will   continue   to   find   powerful  

and  vivid  ways  of  articulating  new  identities.  And  for  this  reason  French  culture  is  a  precious  

resource  not  only  for  France,  but  also  for  others  who  are  willing  to  listen.”