My Sciences Po Paris Experience: Saying Yes while France said Non 20042005

1
My Sciences Po Paris Experience Saying Yes!
while France said Non2004-2005

• Presentation by Jason Nossiter
• The Forum Conference on Education Abroad
• Austin, Texas March 1st, 2007

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Why Sciences Po?

• 1) Why Paris?
• Family educational background
• Personal attachment to Paris
• 2) Why Sciences Po?
• France (and Europes) premiere political science
  and international relations school
• A long-sought dream coupled with a tremendous
  program University of Californias Education
  Abroad Program (EAP)

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Student Life Amongst Frances (and Europes)
Best and Brightest

• French as the lingua franca?
• the importance of le plan
• the agony of the expose
• The faculty when French politicians hit the
  classroom, the news is the syllabus

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Bonjour inspiration! The 2005 EU
Constitutional Treaty Referendum

• When May 29, 2005
• At Stake The future of the European Union as a
  constitutionally sanctioned body
• Outcome 54.7 of voted No, paralyzing the EU

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One campaign, two stories

• 1) In The Classroom
• Euro-utopianism from current and former leaders
• The view of the ruling elite we can only say
  oui!

• 2) On The Street
• Euro-pessimism from the masses and from the
  political fringes
• The view of the people Whats in it for us?

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Levels of learning in my study abroad experience

• A crash course in comparative political culture
  French skepticism as a lesson in democracy
• The academic adventure
• The personal journey continues