Thématique N°7

Social Studies in French Primary and Middle Schools : An Old Project, Permanent Tension and a Renewed Modern Project, by François Audigier

For over two centuries and beyond the political decisions which gradually caused its spread, education in France was conceived as directly tied to citizenship. Condorcet was the prominent figure of this idea which sought the running and improvement of the Republic as requiring citizens enlightened through reason. These were citizens whose education involved the existence of the institution of school. The knowledge, know-how and culture transmitted by and at schools were thus mainly concerned with training citizens capable of debating topics concerning them and choosing their representatives through a public democratic apparatus where they would all be equal. Similarly, the building of a public democratic apparatus requires enlightened citizens. Thus, it was a political goal in the strongest sense of the word that instituted schools. In other words, schools are civic in essence. With the development of democracy, political rights were gradually extended to all people, and school would also become obligatory for everyone.

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