Nicolas de Condorcet. The revolution of French higher education

Overview & Synopsis

This Springer brief explores the contribution of Nicolas de Condorcet in French higher education, the historical development of his work and its influence on the history of the French education system. Condorcet's educational proposals were first devised as five Memoires, which were consolidated into the 'Rapport et Projet de Decret sur l'Organisation Generale de l'Instruction Publique'. This report has sparked debate on the subject of education in the past and lives on as a basis for ongoing iterations of plans for education by other writers. In developing these ideas and especially how they apply to higher education, this book bridges the gap between the 18th century French Enlightenment shift and the Revolution of higher education, with the advent of the Grandes Écoles such as École Normale Supérieure, École Polytechnique and Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers. Each of these schools was represented by a specific institutionalized educational idea rooted in the works of the philosopher. This book offers insights to a wider audience in the educational thought of Condorcet, which at the time of his writing was overshadowed by Rousseau, and shows how his ideas of liberty and equality flourish in the French educational system and remain an important part in today's French academic, cultural and political culture. Table of Contents Foreword. On ideas and history: the case of Condorcet in understanding today’s French higher education system 0. An overview of the research 1. Introduction: French Higher Education and the New Republican State 2. The 18th Century Enlightenment and France’s New Grandes Écoles 3. Condorcet: A Key Thinker who Opened the Gates of the Revolution in Education 4. Methods for Examining Educational Organizations: Pedagogy, Curriculum, and Decorum (Location) 5. The “École Normale Supérieure”: Training Professors 6. The “École Polytechnique”: Preparing the Technocracy 7. The “Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers”: Preserving Industry 8. Conclusion: Institutions Providing Witness to the Permanence of Condorcet’s Ideas, 1794 to Today 9. Bibliography 10. Key Moments in Condorcet’s Life 11. Selected Written Works of Condorcet Afterword: another day for higher education in France.