This course will study a variety of modern political speeches from the French Revolution to today. It offers a panorama of the evolution of French political rhetoric according to its historical, political, intellectual, and religious context. Students will have the opportunity to become familiar with political literature and will work on the art of rhetoric and political discourse in a concrete and lively manner, notably through enrichment of vocabulary, knowledge of the diversity of language styles, analysis of argumentation, and discursive strategies. Students of this course will have the opportunity to write by themselves a political speech which will be performed in a special event at the end of the summer session: the 'Soirée de l'Eloquence politique'. The 'Soirée' will be devoted to the political figure of Robespierre .

Required text : François Furet, Mona Ozouf, Dictionnaire critique de la Révolution française, Flammarion, collection « Champs », 2007, ISBN-13: 978-2081202931