Emile Chabal is a Reader in History at the University of Edinburgh. He is one of the foremost experts on twentieth-century French political and intellectual history. He has published widely on topics such as French republicanism, secularism, the legacies of empire, identity politics and Franco-British relations, including a groundbreaking study of French politics entitled A Divided Republic: nation, state and citizenship in contemporary France.
A refreshing and tightly written introduction to France's recent history. Arthur Asseraf, University of Cambridge In this highly polished introduction to contemporary France, Chabal combines a keen eye for detail with an admirable capacity for vivid narration and analytical generalisation. His focus on France's modern paradoxes offers a stimulating and enjoyable point of entry into the ongoing fractures of its contemporary social and political life. Sudhir Hazareesingh, Oxford University This superb analysis of how France's current struggles--over diversity, state authority, the EU, and much else--emerged from its history since 1940 will enthrall newcomers to the subject and experts alike. A major achievement. Herrick Chapman, New York University Superb upon finishing Chabal's France one comes away feeling that few authors could have compressed more pertinent discussion into so few pages. It is a truly remarkable book. Art Goldhammer, Tocqueville 21