The Age of Youth

An Interview with Ludivine Bantigny, Historian

by Thomas Grillot , 10 July 2012

translated by Michael C. Behrent

with the support of Institut français (vidéo)

Version française

state , public policy , youth , rebellion , unemployment , France

Youth has all the trappings of the universal, eternal value—one that is especially mobilized when there is a need for change. Looking at its history is delving into the construction of a category, and the ubiquituous use and abuse of the people it covers. Historian Ludivine Bantigny sheds light for us on this very political notion.

An Assistant Professor at the University of Rouen and a historian of contemporary France, Ludivine Bantigny wrote Le plus bel âge ? Jeunes et jeunesse en France de l’aube des Trente Glorieuses à la guerre d’Algérie (Paris, Fayard, 2007) ; Jeunesse oblige. Histoire des jeunes en France, (Paris, PUF, 2009, with Ivan Jablonka) ; and Hériter en politique. Filiations, générations et transmissions politiques (Paris, PUF, 2011, with Arnaud Baubérot).

Co-leader of the “Histoire des groupes sociaux et de la construction identitaire” research team at the Centre d’histoire de Sciences Po, she sits on the editorial boards of Vingtième Siècle. Revue d’histoire and Histoire@Politique. Politique, culture, société.

Shooting & editing by Thomas Grillot, transcription by Stéphanie Mimouni, translation by Michael C. Behrent and subtitling by Ariel Suhamy.

Having trouble watching this video? Try here.

Need more help? Contact us.

Dossier(s) :
Youths of Two Continents

by Thomas Grillot, 10 July 2012

Find us here :

To quote this article :

Thomas Grillot, « The Age of Youth. An Interview with Ludivine Bantigny, Historian », Books and Ideas , 10 July 2012. ISSN : 2105-3030. URL : https://booksandideas.net./The-Age-of-Youth

Nota Bene:

If you want to discuss this essay further, you can send a proposal to the editorial team (redaction at laviedesidees.fr). We will get back to you as soon as possible.