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*France Versus the World - BBC World Service Documentary*

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First broadcast: April 2007

Series Producer: John Murphy

Format: Mp3

Bitrate: 56 kbps (avg.)

The French maintain that they - their culture, their social model and their foreign policy - are exceptional. But for how much longer?

In this four-part series, Lucy Ash takes a forensic look at the position France occupies on the world stage, how it defines citizenship and the way globalisation is threatening to undermine its cultural heritage.

This can be downloaded directly from the BBC: Buy It at Lowest Price on Amazon

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/documentary_archive/6511945.stm

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-Part One: France on the world stage-

France prides itself on punching above its weight when it comes to international affairs. Take its stance, on the Iraq war, for example. And for decades, it has exercised a distinct influence over the continent of Africa.

But, in a recent controversial speech in Mali, conservative presidential contender Nicholas Sarkozy said that French foreign policy of the last 20 years was & 34;wrong& 34;. There are growing calls for France's secretive Africa policy to change. In a slap in the face to France, Rwanda's President recently announced his desire for his country to join the British Commonwealth.

But does France still have something unique and different to offer on the world stage? & 34;There is no God in France's foreign policy, unlike in America& 34; is the view several French people shared with Lucy Ash.

As the President Chirac's era comes to an end, can France maintain its position as a world player?

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-Part Two: Citizenship-

France prides itself on its Republican model of citizenship. The words & 34;liberte, egalite, fraternite& 34; (liberty, equality, fraternity) are carved into public buildings across the country.

Its secular schools were supposed to be the machines to integrate its citizens, wherever their families may have come from originally, into being French first and foremost.

But the widespread riots of 2005 across France's suburbs showed that a huge swathe of the population - particularly the immigrant population - felt excluded and disenfranchised. Those riots also put the question of identity at the top of the political agenda.

In this second programme of the series & 34;France versus the World& 34; Lucy Ash asks if the Republican model of citizenship is working.

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-Part three: Agriculture and Rural France-

In the third programme in this series, Lucy Ash investigates the changes afoot for French agriculture and for the French countryside.

The Common Agricultural Policy has been operating in Europe since 1962. French farmers are the biggest beneficiaries of the policy, which makes up forty per cent of the European Union's total budget.

During his time in office, Jacques Chirac has been a vigorous defender of France's farmers and the amount of financial help they receive from Europe's agricultural budget. President Chirac managed to prevent substantial reform of the CAP, arguing that it is good for France and for the World.

French farmers still benefit from popular support and are imbued with the special status as custodians of the countryside. But for how much longer?

Even many French farmers are now saying that the Common Agricultural Policy does not work, that it benefits the few and is damaging the environment.

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-Part four: Facing the Future-

In the last programme of the series, Lucy Ash tries to understand why so many French are fearful of globalisation and what that means for the future of France.

For many, the young included, globalisation is a threat and profit is a dirty word. The French are deeply suspicious of what they refer to as the Anglo-Saxon free market system and they believe France can do things differently.

And yet France is one of the most avid consumers of McDonald's burgers in Europe. Many of the most successful global companies are also French.

Is France trapped in the past, and in dire need of reform? Has the time come to fall in line with other 'globalised' economies?

A growing number of French people think so and, out of frustration, are migrating to the UK and other countries to be part of free-market economic systems in the hope of finding better opportunities to earn more.

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