'From education to political power. Is France controlled by a ruling elite?'

Tuesday 12 August, 1:00-2:00pm
at Room 212, Level 2, 234 Queensberry Street, The University of Melbourne

presented by

Bronwyn Hinz

(PhD Candidate Political Science/Education, University of Melbourne)

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Abstract

This seminar challenges some of the most prominent assumptions about French political culture and institutions: that graduates from the grandes ecoles Sciences Po and ENA completely and increasingly dominate France's political elite; that the political elite is increasingly closed and caste-like, and that this 'disconnection' with the electorate is a major factor in the 'crisis of representation'. It argues that perceptions of representation and government elitism (in terms of educational background) do not accurately reflect, or respond to, the actual composition of governments.

These radical hypotheses are explored using a case-study of the educational backgrounds of all French government ministers between 1993 and 2007, national census data and official opinion polls. It uncovers some surprising truths, including the paradox of representativeness and elitism in French politics and the need for a more nuanced understanding of the 'crisis of representation' and of French political culture.

This study, based on original archival research in France, constituted the first comprehensive study of the educational background of French government ministers in over twenty years. It was also the first study to explore whether changes in the educational composition of successive governments were at all related to changing public perceptions of governments' representativeness or responsiveness, and functioning of democracy, as measured by national, longitudinal opinion polls.

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