Aesthetico-Cultural Cosmopolitanism and French Youth: The Taste of the World by Vincenzo Cicchelli, and Sylvie Octobre

Abstract

Reviewed by: Aesthetico-Cultural Cosmopolitanism and French Youth: The Taste of the World by Vincenzo Cicchelli, and Sylvie Octobre Virginie Ems-Bléneau Cicchelli, Vincenzo, and Sylvie Octobre. Aesthetico-Cultural Cosmopolitanism and French Youth: The Taste of the World. Palgrave Macmillan, 2018. ISBN 978-3-319-66310-4. Pp. 405. This sociological study of France's youth maps out the intricate correlation between patterns of cultural consumption and degrees of cosmopolitanism. In this context, aesthetico-cultural cosmopolitanism refers to the level of interest and awareness that French youth show regarding (inter)national aesthetic products (literature, film, music, news, architecture, etc.), and the manner in which these products impact their understanding, or imaginary, of the world. Through their analysis of both a large-scale quantitative survey and of qualitative interviews, the authors have identified five aesthetico-cultural profiles. The majority of French youth falls within one of three types of cosmopolitanism: inadvertent cosmopolitans (34%) indiscriminately consume a variety of foreign contents dubbed or translated into French; specific cosmopolitans (32%) on the other hand are more selective as they seek out particular contents of a [End Page 209] culture or genre; like inadvertent cosmopolitans, cosmopolitan fans (17%) consume an array of cultural products, but this group is more likely to do so in the original language. What distinguishes these three types of cosmopolitanism is therefore the individual's intent to consume, as well as their level of engagement with foreign cultural products. By contrast, a smaller number French youth voiced a strong rejection of international contents (the national fans, 11%), or a lack of taste for cultural materials in general (the impossible cosmopolitans, 6%). Interestingly, the survey reveals that familiarity compels appreciation, as young people usually voiced dislike toward things they did not know, and appreciation for things they did. Even though this book is a sociological study of French Youth, many of its findings will resonate in other societies and disciplines. Language educators for example will find it interesting that"the desire to learn a foreign language is overwhelmingly linked to the joy of discovery" (143), and not to utilitarian objectives such as finding a job or passing a class. The authors did observe however that when the consumption of cultural products in their original language "becomes too onerous, [it] conflict[s] with the pleasure expected out of the activity" (141) and brings one to lose interest. Although this survey finds that French youth greatly derive their knowledge and understanding of the world from cultural media, interviewees often expressed their concerns as to the accuracy of representation, with certain forms considered more realistic (television series), and other more artistic or escapist (independent films, plastic arts, music). The authors note that those who possess the greatest cultural resources tend to question the veracity of aestheticocultural contents and become more critical of products they see as "disingenuously serv[ing] the interests of global capitalism, [...] or because [they are] deemed insufficient and overly one-dimensional" (262). Finally, while many young people see aesthetico-cultural cosmopolitanism as a means to"transcend one's social and cultural horizons" (269), this unbridled multiplication of cultural models can foster tensions and divisions, especially for individuals with a weak sense of cultural identity. The danger lies in pushing these fragile individuals to retreat into the national, have psychological breakdowns, or reject all forms of otherness. Virginie Ems-Bléneau Georgia Southern University Copyright © 2019 American Association of Teachers of French