This seminar seeks to introduce students to central themes in the history of France from the reign of Louis XIV until the outbreak of the French Revolution. It will be organized into modules focused on the culture and behavioural patterns of the royal court; the Enlightenment and advent of consumer culture; and the origins of the French Revolution. Course readings will be a combination of primary sources and secondary scholarship reflecting diverse approaches to the study of the past. Students will be expected to participate actively in classroom discussion.
