Language is not neutral. It contains values, beliefs and norms. Starting from this premise, this course explores the links between language, culture and identity in French and francophone societies. We will discover how language has historically been a powerful tool in the formation of a national and republican identity, as well the various forms of domination and exclusion that have accompanied this process. A key focus of the course will be the central importance of received linguistic and cultural norms in French society and culture, their aspiration to dominance, and the many challenges posed by forms of difference (linguistic, cultural, racial, regional).