The May 1958 crisis: the war in Algeria, the return of De Gaulle, and the fall of the French Fourth and birth of Fifth Republic

- Identify the key actors involved in the putsch.- Analyse and discuss constructively the situation in Algeria in 1958 and the reasons behind the putsch.- Discuss the policies of the governments of the Fourth Republic towards Algeria and explain why they failed to find a solution to the conflict.- Assess how much of a role the war in Algeria played in the collapse of the Fourth Republic.- Analyse the positions of De Gaulle on Algeria.- Explain why the war dragged on until 1962.- Discuss constructively how the new institutions of the Fifth Republic (France's current regime) differed from the previous ones and what impact they had.- Assess critically the long term consequences of the those events.

Please bring a pen and paper.Books will be recommended but students are not required to purchase them if they do not wish.This is not an exam course.There are no extra costs.

The course will be a combination of lectures and discussions in small and large groups. Handouts will be available. Various documents (videos, photos, articles, etc.) will be used throughout the session.