French Literature Reviews - 2026

A. Aramini, Michelet, in Search of France's Identity - From National Fusion to the Conflict of Traditions
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas

Aurélien Aramini, Michelet, in Search of France's Identity - From National Fusion to the Conflict of Traditions

Presses Universitaires de Franche-Comté, 2013.

363 p.

EAN 9782848674629

12,00 EUR

Publisher's Description:

As the author of a monumental History of France, Michelet (1798-1874) constantly questioned the meaning of history and France's contribution to humanity throughout his work. Drawing on sources as diverse as Vico's philosophy, Guizot's liberal historiography, Cousin's eclecticism, and the work of Orientalist linguists like Eugène Burnouf and Renan, the philosophy of this former head of the historical section of the Archives and professor at the Collège de France crystallizes around a question that remains highly relevant today: what constitutes France's identity, and consequently, what place should it hold in universal history alongside Greece, Rome, or Judea?

Aurélien Aramini, who holds a PhD in philosophy and is an associate researcher at the Logiques de l’Agir Laboratory (UFC), teaches philosophy at the Lycée Courbet in Belfort.

Jules Michelet remains one of the most influential figures in nineteenth-century French historiography, renowned for his romantic and nationalistic approach to writing history. In this study, Aurélien Aramini places Michelet's intellectual development within the context of nineteenth-century European thought. By exploring how Michelet drew upon Giambattista Vico's philosophy of history, François Guizot's liberal historiography, and Victor Cousin's eclecticism, the book traces the transition from a narrative of national fusion to one of conflicting traditions. This framework helps readers understand how Michelet sought to position France as a central force in universal history.

This work is particularly valuable for scholars and students of French history, political philosophy, and the history of ideas. It addresses critical questions surrounding the construction of national identity and how historical narratives are shaped by philosophical and linguistic influences, including the orientalist scholarship of Eugène Burnouf and Ernest Renan. By analyzing Michelet's monumental History of France, Aramini provides readers with a deeper understanding of the debates that continue to influence contemporary discussions about French identity, citizenship, and the nation's role on the global stage.