Le Dragon Déchaîné

The New Dragon’s Summer Reads

Get to know your editors and what they’ve been reading this summer

photo by Marcus Cheah (@marcuscheah)

As the autumn semester approaches, and summer draws to a close, many students from the Le Havre campus are indulging themselves in some holiday reading. Perhaps you have made a start on the Sciences Po summer reading list, perhaps you have been reading to own tastes, or perhaps not at all. Regardless, the four new editors at Le Dragon Déchaîné thought it would be an opportune moment to introduce ourselves, and tell you what we’ve been reading this summer.

Leesa Ko

An American second year student and one of the new editors- in- chief for the radio section, Leesa joined LDD last year after writing a short piece on her solo travels and producing a music podcast with one of last year’s editors and infamous party animals, Pierre Bucaille. Between her perhaps excessive load of extracurriculars, Leesa can probably be found on campus asking too many questions, laughing obnoxiously, or caressing her new tattoo whom she’s affectionately named Noelia. She’s been reading…

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

“History has failed us, but no matter.”

The opening line of Pachinko reflects the devastating impact and raw honesty of the novel, a multigenerational story of a Korean family during and after the 35-year forced Japanese occupation of the peninsula. The story follows the Baek family as they incessentally fight to overcome in a time and place where the odds were in favor of achieving anything but.

For me, Pachinko brought me closer to my roots as I gained a keener awareness and empathy of the unimaginable hardships that my own family was forced to confront during the occupation, as well as the ongoing challenges they continue to face as a result of this period. Nonetheless, this book discusses universal themes such as family, identity and discrimination, within a historical context that is underrepresented in English-language literature.

Author Min Jin Lee skillfully strikes a balance between crafting a calculated account of a winding historical saga while avoiding the often drawn out descriptions common to such writings, and creating a humanising intimacy in the development of such vivid and complex characters. Perhaps some of this can be attributed to her having spent 30 years on the book, but it’s evident that Lee has achieved a literary feat with her literary triumph, Pachinko, which was a 2017 finalist for the National Book Award for fiction.

Philippe Andreas Bédos

Philippe is from Oslo, Norway and one of the new editors-in-chief for radio at Le Dragon. He majors in Politics & Government and is studying Chinese. He is also the P.R. Manager of the Bureau Des Élèves and an avid sportsman, part of the campus football, rugby and karate clubs. He enjoys listening to bossa nova music and quoting philosophers he has actually never read. You will often hear him using directly translated Norwegian expressions such as: “Goodbye on the bathroom, you old chocolate!” , or “I had my beard in the mailbox”. He’s been reading…

Au Revoir Là-Haut (The Great Swindle) by Pierre Lemaitre

The fate of two French soldiers, Édouard Péricourt and Albert Maillard, is decided in the final moments of World War I, as their ranking officer, Henri D’Aulnay Pradelle launches a daring offensive to ensure his social ascension once the fighting ends. After saving Albert’s life, Édouard is in turn saved by Albert. When Édouard later wakes up in the hospital, he discovers his jaw has been torn off by a shell blast.

The sad and beautiful story of Maillard and Péricourt’s friendship is a true adventure through post-war French society. Rich with humour, it centers on a plan to fool the whole country into buying fake monuments to the dead and fleeing as well as the scandal of Pradelle’s mix-up of thousands of entombed soldiers.

Pierre Lemaître draws you 100 years back in time to a society that has since profoundly changed, yet the characters and their aspirations are uncannily familiar. The story is bitter yet compelling and filled with historical detail.

The novel explores the strong social codification and stratification of the time, via investigations of Édouard’s family’s relations; focusing notably on the complex relationship with his father, who realises all too late he truly loved his son, a particularly endearing character. As he realizes what has become of his once delicate face, Edouard convinces Albert to provide him with a new identity and hides his disfigurement by making beautiful and oniric masks of all kinds, filled with color and imagination. He meets his misfortune with irony and flamboyance.

The book won Lemaître the 2013 edition of the Prix Goncourt.

You can also find the movie adaptation in theatres now. (93 % on Rotten Tomatoes / 7,6/10 on IMDb)

Maya Shenoy

Maya is an American second year student and is one of the new editors-in-chief for the print section at Le Dragon. She majors in Political Humanities and is also co-captain of LBGTQ club and Quizbowl. You will most likely catch her off campus, in the Bibliothèque Niemeyer or Columbus Café, laughing at her own jokes as subtly as possible. She’s been reading…

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

This book had been sitting on my shelf since I half-started it at sixteen. After having been recommended to me by a dear teacher from high school, I had left it untouched. My teacher had called the story, centered on the fraternity and perseverance of the American coxed-eight rowing team (largely from rural Washington State) in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, nothing short of “life-changing.”

With some time on my hands (and the promise of transformational content), I was able to dive back into the book over May and June. The book found me at an opportune moment – uninspired and seeking purpose. I found myself instantly taken by the story of protagonist Joe Rantz, his turbulent childhood and mandated independence (after having been told to fend for himself by a complicated stepmother), and his unshaking determination to the sport, bettering his life, family, and his wife, Joyce. The camaraderie with the diverse group of men in the boat, whilst it had been the advertised selling point, was for me only the second most compelling part of the story.

While Brown paints an intimate portrait of the team he, curiously, weaves in quotes by the famed shellmaker George Yeoman Pocock (who fashioned their boat on his campus workshop). Initially, the reflections of Pocock that open every chapter seemed superfluous to the story (though no less interesting). But it was these reflections, on character, on teamwork, and on grit that stuck with me the most. Brown elegantly and subtly shows us, with the near-spiritual reflections of Pocock then embodied by the actions of this boat of men, the importance of a strong network – a strong team – and sheer determination in sport and life.

The language is clear and concise, Brown does not delve into meta-analysis to feign significance. Instead, the grandness of the sheer facts and the poignancy of Pocock’s thoughts propel the book (more accurately, the story or events) into a Chariots of Fire-caliber tale of extraordinary people, courage, and drive.

Pailey Wang

Pailey is an Australian second year student, and is one of the new editors-in-chief for print at Le Dragon. He majors in Politics and Government, and is also the incumbent Public Relations Officer of the Bureau des Arts. You will often find him wandering the halls of campus, looking for someone to go to Resto-U with. He’s been reading…

Fifty Years of Constitutional Evolution in France: The 2008 Amendments and Beyond by Martin Rogoff

Some students seem to adjust to the rhythm of undergraduate studies better than others; finding a sensible balance between university work and leisure, which among other things, includes the type of wide and explorative reading one should indulge themselves in during these still formative years. I seemingly was not one of those students, the only image the words ‘work / life balance’ conjure up for me is the ability to make it to the lecture hall. So, when my delightful co-editors decided on an ‘exciting’ book review for our first piece of the new semester, my reaction was somewhat muted. In spite of this, I am not one to let down the team, so here-in you will find my review of the first thirteen pages of ‘Fifty Years of Constitutional Evolution in France: The 2008 Amendments and Beyond’ by Martin A. Rogoff, the shortest of the readings that I will have to do reasonably soon anyway for my constitutional law lecture.

It is approaching twenty minutes since I started reading, and I haven’t made it through the one-page abstract. I feel like Professor Rogoff is trying to explain a nuanced and important concept, which I have thus far completely failed to comprehend. His picture, attached to his page on the Maine University of Law directory, has not helped me. His gaze penetrates me with seething disappointment.

Reaching the beginning of the introduction on the second page, I find myself thoroughly impressed by the extent of the footnoting, three quarters of the page at least. I breeze through the three lines of body on said page, and I feel as though I am making great strides.

The third page reads as easily as the second, the extensive footnoting has helped me once again. Though it slightly worries me when my mate prof. Rogoff tells me to ‘see’, among other things, a ‘short collection of essays’; my gut tells me that the word ‘short’ is being used liberally. I much prefer Rogoff’s footnotes which, correctly, assume my general ignorance of modern French history and chime in little helpful tidbits. Wishing I knew more about Algeria, I suddenly make the dire realisation that I have only made it to page 5. My initial delight at the length of the footnotes was misplaced, our good friend Rogoff is jamming more and more background information in, and I feel decieved by the smaller type.

Many thoughts went through my mind over the next few pages, few were about constitutional law. They mostly revolved around Charles de Gaulle and all the things I would rather be doing. After considerable effort, and altogether too much time, I did eventually finish. Highlights: I feel like I increased the flow of blood to my brain for the first time in a while. Low points: See Rogoff, M. (2011). Fifty Years of Constitutional Evolution in France: The 2008 Amendments and Beyond. SSRN Electronic Journal, pp.1-13.

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« Andromaque, je pense à vous… »

Pierre-Narcisse Guérin, 1813, Andromaque et Pyrrhus

« Andromaque, je pense à vous » c’est ainsi que Baudelaire commence à entonner sa déploration d’un Paris qui n’est plus (Le Cygne, Les Fleurs du mal, 1857). « Ce petit fleuve, Pauvre et triste miroir où jadis resplendit / L’immense majesté de vos douleurs de veuve, / Ce Simoïs menteur qui par vos pleurs grandit, / A fécondé soudain ma mémoire fertile. » Le rythme est funèbre, le ton nostalgique, le poète se place sous l’invocation de la Troyenne qui vit en une nuit disparaitre sa famille et sa cité. La veuve d’Hector, symbole séculaire de constance et de fidélité m’apparait aujourd’hui surtout comme l’archétype de la femme en exil, de celle qu’on a forcé à quitter le sol natal et qui ne trouve que dangers et périls dans un séjour étranger. Dans les textes grecs, on exalte souvent la figure de l’exilée, de celle qu’on enlève, de la captive qui suit le vainqueur sous d’autres cieux, de celle qu’un péril pousse à chercher le salut dans la fuite. Sans compagnons à leur côté, elles définissent en creux par le manque, l’absence et le chagrin.

L’idée de cette analyse m’a été soufflée lors d’une représentation récente d’Andromaquede Racine à laquelle j’ai assisté. Jamais auparavant l’acuité de la situation de cette femme éponyme ne m’avait semblé aussi flagrante. On ne parlera pas de modernité, on ne fera pas d’anachronisme, on dira simplement que rien ne change vraiment sous le soleil et que les tragiques grecs rendaient déjà compte du malheur millénaire que vivent encore aujourd’hui tant de femmes, par fait de guerre, de violence, de préjugés sociaux, étatiques ou religieux. Chacun et chacune saura entendre le lieu, le pays, où ces destins mythiques s’accomplissent encore de nos jours même si les protagonistes actuelles restent souvent sans visage et anonyme. Andromaque est avant tout une prise de guerre, elle échoit en butin à Pyrrhus, fils d’Achille qui devrait la haïr puisque la prise d’Ilion, selon la prophétie, ne pouvait s’accomplir qu’au prix du trépas de son père. Il doit la garder asservie mais voilà qu’il s’en éprend et Racine lui donne un argument déterminant pour faire sa cour, en gardant en vie Astyanax. Le jeune prince a pourtant été tué, précipité du haut des remparts de la ville par Néoptolème, si on en croit la tradition homérique et la version d’Euripide. Sur la scène classique du XVIIème siècle, il devient un enjeu de pouvoir et la victime d’un chantage amoureux.

Chez Racine, donc, Pyrrhus convoite sa prisonnière et, pour l’obliger au marriage, il fait garder son fils en otage. Qu’Andromaque l’épouse et il préservera la vie du dernier dardanien, dût-il pour cela encourir le courroux d’Oreste puis la vindicte des Grecs coalisés contre le sang d’Hector. La tragédie, composée par Racine en 1667 se résume facilement : Oreste aime Hermione, qui aime Pyrrhus, qui aime Andromaque, qui aime Hector, défunt, et qui cherche à protéger son fils Astyanax… Ce n’est plus un dilemme tragique, c’est une longue torture, un harcèlement sans fin : Accepter l’hymen honni puis se suicider semble la seule échappatoire. (Racine, Andromaque, Acte II, scène I)

PYRRHUS.

« Eh bien, madame, eh bien, il faut vous obéir :

Il faut vous oublier, ou plutôt vous haïr.

Oui, mes vœux ont trop loin poussé leur violence

Pour ne plus s’arrêter que dans l’indifférence ;

Songez-y bien : il faut désormais que mon cœur,

S’il n’aime avec transport, haïsse avec fureur.

Je n’épargnerai rien dans ma juste colère :

Le fils me répondra des mépris de la mère ;

La Grèce le demande ; et je ne prétends pas

Mettre toujours ma gloire à sauver des ingrats.

ANDROMAQUE.

Hélas, il mourra donc ! Il n’a pour sa défense

Que les pleurs de sa mère, et que son innocence…

Et peut-être après tout, en l’état où je suis,

Sa mort avancera la fin de mes ennuis.

Je prolongeais pour lui ma vie et ma misère ;

Mais enfin sur ses pas j’irai revoir son père.

Ainsi, tous trois, seigneur, par vos soins réunis,

Nous vous…

PYRRHUS.

Allez, madame, allez voir votre fils.

Peut-être, en le voyant, votre amour plus timide

Ne prendra pas toujours sa colère pour guide.

Pour savoir nos destins j’irai vous retrouver :

Madame, en l’embrassant, songez à le sauver. »

Andromaque, HécubeetLes Troyennesd’Euripide, composées respectivement en 424 et en 415, donnaient déjà le ton : la princesse Polyxène fut immolée sur le tombeau d’Achille, Cassandre, fille de Priam et désirée par Apollon, fut violée par Ajax, fils d’Oïlée, après avoir été arrachée à la protection du Palladium, contrainte ensuite à suivre Agamemnon, tuée enfin sur ordre de Clytemnestre (Homère, Odyssée, Chant XI). Eschyle avait décrit Cassandre affolée par ses pouvoirs divinatoires, Euripide la montrait tremblante et comme anéantie devant l’épouvantable engrenage qui la conduisait à la mort. Sénèque lui faisait décrire l’horreur de la chute de Troie, le carnage qui suivit et les maux sans fin qu’elle souffrait deux fois puisqu’elle les anticipait sans pouvoir les éviter.

Dans l’incipit des Troyennes, Neptune s’apprête donc à quitter la ville de Priam qu’il protégea longtemps, il introduit l’action avant de s’adresser à Athéna, protectrice des Achéens victorieux :

« Le Scamandre retentit des lamentations des captives à qui le sort vient d’assigner un maître. Les unes sont échues aux Arcadiens, les autres aux Thessaliens, d’autres aux fils de Thésée, rois d’Athènes. Celles des Troyennes qui n’ont pas été tirées au sort sont dans cette tente, réservées aux chefs de l’armée ; la fille de Tyndare, Hélène, est avec elles, et c’est avec justice qu’on la compte parmi les captives. Là, s’offre à tous les regards l’infortunée Hécube ; prosternée à l’entrée de la tente, elle verse des larmes abondantes sur la perte de tout ce qui lui fut cher. Sa fille Polyxène vient d’être immolée sur le tombeau d’Achille, à l’insu de sa mère ; Priam n’est plus, ses enfants ne sont plus; et celle dont Apollon respecta la virginité, Cassandre, qu’inspire l’esprit prophétique, Agamemnon, au mépris du dieu et par une violence impie, la contraint de s’unir à lui par une alliance clandestine. »

La tragédie desTroyennes s’insère dans une trilogie, la pièce s’ouvre sur un rappel de la prise d’Ilion avant que chaque captive soit fixée sur son sort. Chacune devra en effet suivre un maître. Cassandre accompagnera Agamemnon à Mycènes, Andromaque sera remise à Néoptolème et la reine Hécube donnée à Ulysse, son plus farouche ennemi. Comme les servantes à Ithaque, pendues sur ordre d’Ulysse, les Troyennes n’ont aucune défense, aucun droit. Vae Victis. Leurs chants se succèdent, égrenant le destin croisé de ces femmes contraintes à l’exil, soumises aux volontés des vainqueurs.

Hécube ira encore en Thrace venger son dernier fils que Priam croyait avoir confié à la protection d’un roi ami. Le traitre Polymnestor, fourbe et cupide, tua l’enfant pour conserver les trésors qu’on lui avait remis avec sa garde. Entre les deux premiers épisodes des Troyennesqui scellent le sort de Cassandre avec celui d’Andromaque et les adieux finals d’Hécube, une longue joute oppose également Ménélas à Hélène, la belle Hélène, le casus belliféminin du conflit, que son époux entend mettre à mort dès qu’ils auront regagné Sparte. Victime, elle l’est aussi, si on se souvient du rapt qui la conduisit avec Pâris en Troade, jouet à la fois de la Discorde en colère et du jugement de trois déesses vaniteuses. Dans La guerre de Troie n’aura pas lieu,en 1935, Giraudoux campe une Hélène languide et changeante, aguicheuse mais sans volonté claire, tour à tour artificieuse et naïve, une femme dont l’essencese résume à sa seule beauté et dont l’existencedépend du regard et des exigences des hommes.

S’il demeure un sentiment de tragique devant la fatalité qui s’acharne sur les personnages féminins des Troyennes, on se rend vite compte que la guerre reste avant tout une chose sordide et vile. Dégrisés après la fureur des batailles, les héros masculins font pour une fois piètres figures. Les plaintes pathétiques des trois femmes et de celles qui composent le chœur, en écho, suscitent la pitié et la compassion. Il ne reste plus rien de grand ni de courageux à accomplir sur les décombres de Troie. Ni la piété due aux Dieux, ni le respect pour l’âge et pour la majesté déchue n’ont droit de cité Les Troyennes n’ont survécu que pour devenir proie, elles ont porté le deuil de leurs pères, de leurs frères, de leurs époux, de leurs fils avant de devenir les esclaves des Achéens. Il ne demeure vraiment rien de glorieux dans la pièce d’Euripide mais la catharsisaristotélicienne fonctionne parfaitement : la terreur et la pitié saisissent le lecteur, foudroient le spectateur. Il faut donc partir, sans rien, sans autre bagage que des souvenirs, avec l’icône d’un époux adoré comme Andromaque ou avec les cendres d’un fils comme Hécube qui devient la sépulture vivante de son fils Hector.

D’autres femmes fuient encore et toujours. Les filles de Danaos refusent un mariage imposé avec leurs cousins et cherchent refuge en Grèce. Les Suppliantesd’Eschyle, vers 466, nous les montrent éperdues arrivant en Argos, ne pouvant se résoudre à épouser leurs prétendants imposés. Poursuivies par leurs fiancés, les fils d’Egyptos, elles chantent la douleur de quitter le sol de Lybie, d’être démunies et sans soutien aucun en pays étranger. Le roi Pelasge les accueille avec bienveillance. Il entend même leur supplique mais la guerre gronde aux frontières alors que se referme le premier volet de la trilogie dont ils nous manquent les deux suivants. La menace imminente rend leur asile fragile, leur situation précaire. La suite des pérégrinations des Danaïdes est connue : Contraintes aux noces, elles accompliront dans la nuit qui les suivra le meurtre de leurs époux et seront condamnée pour l’éternité à remplir d’eau un récipient sans fond.

Revenons à Troie, avec une pointe d’humour… Le seul être qui, finalement, comprendra Andromaque, se nomme Léopold, (Marcel, Aymé, Uranus1948), Léopold le simplet, Léopold le cabaretier, un grand ami de la dive bouteille, qui s’éprend d’Andromaque rien qu’en écoutant l’instituteur faire cours sur Racine, dans son café, car l’école a été détruite par les bombardements de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale. Parmi les décombres d’une sempiternelle guerre, le cafetier ému improvise des alexandrins en comptant les pieds sur ses doigts, des vers boiteux mais si émouvants, pour sauver la veuve d’Hector et le rejeton d’Ilion. Léopold est incapable de la laisser subir un sort qu’il juge épouvantable. Andromaque s’extasie, fort prosaïquement mais visiblement soulagée d’avoir trouvé enfin un allié.

LEOPOLD :

« Passez-moi Astyanax, on va filer en douce – Attendons pas d’avoir les poulets à nos trousses.

ANDROMAQUE :

Mon Dieu, c’est-il possible. Enfin voilà un homme ! Voulez-vous du vin blanc ou voulez-vous du rhum ?

LEOPOLD:

Du blanc !

ANDROMAQUE:

C’est du blanc que buvait mon Hector pour monter au front.

Il n’avait pas tort.

The Dinner Party est une installation artistique de Judy Chicago qu’on peut voir dans l’aile appelée Elizabeth A. Sackler center for Feminist Art du Brooklyn Museum de New York. La structure en forme de table de banquet triangulaire fut élaborée de façon collective entre 1974 et 1979. Cette œuvre a été autant décriée qu’encensée mais elle possède l’immense mérite de proposer une lecture épique des destins de centaines de figures féminines historiques ou mythiques. Elles sont au nombre de 1038, référencées directement ou symboliquement. Hélène et Hécube y figurent. Juste revanche ? On pourrait légitimement ajouter Andromaque, si affligée, si forte aussi.

Sophie Rochefort-Guillouet is a history professor at Sciences Po Paris Campus du Havre.

Nostalgia in North Korea: traveling to the DPRK

It is a great pride for me to be invited to talk about the misconceptions of North Korea. Admittedly, traveling to North Korea is not commonplace, nor totally safe. However, my journey to North Korea this winter was a rather brief one. I’m not capable of interpreting the social phenomena in the country like a geopolitics expert, but it’d be useful to review our impression of the state that media has imposed on us in the light of what we have experienced and witnessed.

(above) click on image to view full gallery. All photos provided by Runhang Zhong

To clarify, I am not, and will not in the short run, glorify the regime. Nor will I state that what the media has told us may be wrong or biased to undermine the fact that North Korea is falling behind. It is by no means a paradise, with an ironic hierarchy in a revolutionary state, a strict control of society, a culture castrated by the government, and of course, after paying attention to the poor conditions of roads in Kaesong it is self-evident that the economy is far from prospering.

But these are less exposed to and less known by the public; Ryomyong Avenue rose from dust in nine months; 4D films are available in the Palace of Science, Technology, and Culture in Pyongyang; citizens of Pyongyang chanted and danced happily with us foreign visitors to celebrate the new year of 2018. North Koreans are not as dull and emotionless as one may imagine. It should never be forgotten that the DPRK is, rather than a keyword of international politics’ news, a state where 25 million people are living.

Let’s begin with the economy: the most striking contrast between the DPRK and its Southern counterpart. It’s easy to observe the poverty in the country upon crossing the Yalu River, with the grey buildings and poorly-equipped railway station in sight. But a more impressive point haunting my mind is the wide gap between Pyongyang and other cities. While other cities like Sinuiju and Kaesong reflect the image of the DPRK in our minds, Pyongyang is definitely another world

Image: View of Pyongyang seen from the top of Juche Tower (Source: Runhang Zhong)

Pyongyang is comparable to second-tier or third-tier cities in China with neat streets, tall buildings, and crowds shopping for the New Year in supermarkets. Public transportation is well developed: buses and trams, which are always purchased from former East Germany, come every other minute, carrying people to every corner of the city. Though not a large amount of vehicles are kept, traffic jams do occur at around 7 pm. Electricity shortage remains the biggest problem; the city was completely dark at 8 pm, which I witnessed from the 44-storage high Goryeo Hotel. Despite this being said, computers are accessible for free to Pyongyang citizens, especially primary school students, to get access to local networks for academic papers and resources about science, technology, languages and many other disciplines.

Image: Celebrating the new year of 2018 with Pyongyang citizens. (Source: Fangzhou Zhao)

It’d be a unique experience to speak English with North Korean people in Pyongyang. Certainly, they know English, though limited. “Class of Mao Zedong” of East Pyongyang No. 1 High School was not only a class to enchant the Sino-DPRK friendship but also to select outstanding students to serve the country.

Image: The Class of Mao Zedong. They were preparing for the college-entrance exam (source: Ruhang Zhong)

“How old are you?” One of our teammates asked.

“Sixteen.” Responded a shy girl.

She went on to introduce all her subjects, her favorite, and the fact that she was preparing an exam to get enrolled in a university in April, with English impressive enough for all of us.

Image: The girl who spoke English with us. (Left) (Source: Wanting Hsieh)

But that was only part of the story. Another occasion where I showed off my English was when I encountered a woman selling snacks on the street. She was well aware that I am a foreigner for there was no badge of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il pinned on my chest. I pointed at the snack I would like to try and handed out my Renminbi.

“No. No. No, accept Yuan.” Renminbi seemed to be too expensive for her, or perhaps she did not have the correct license to conduct business with foreigners. But “accept” doesn’t sound like a word spoken by a woman who did not study English.

“Yes. 5 for 2.” She finally reluctantly accepted my coins. One may make the accusation that her grammar constitutes a solid reason to suspect her as an American spy.

English can be seen even in kindergartens. Displayed together with propaganda posters and portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, there were toys to learn English which were said to have been smuggled from South Korea because some Korean vocabularies like pencil had been erased to be replaced by more “native” ones.

Some may question those to be “performed” in front of visitors to deliver an embellished vision of the country. Surely the DPRK authority lies sometimes, like what they told us about religious freedom when we were in a Catholic church. But I’m inclined to attribute the seemingly surprising phenomenon to the inequality and hierarchy in North Korean society, within which the most trustworthy social groups are relocated the most resources. And undoubtedly the DPRK requires educated people to sustain the functioning of the regime.

Images: Ryomyong Avenue. Probably it shows an unknown side of the mysterious state (Source: Runhang Zhong)

Let’s conclude with my favorite travel destination, Ryomyong Avenue, which was constructed in March 2016 and was finished the December of the same year. Walking among the post-modernist buildings, I realized the potential of the often mocked and despised state. DPRK reminded me of my own nation, China, in the sense that so many remnants of socialism kept in the North Korean society resembled that of China a few decades ago. China was negligible 40 years ago and was predicted to soon collapse by observers 20 years ago. However it only grew to be the second largest economy, so there’s no harm keeping an open and objective attitude towards the seemingly insane country in our current world, where everything is possible.

Runhang Zhong, also known as Marco, is a second year student from China at Sciences Po Paris, Campus du Havre.

Edited by Paxia Ksatryo.

“Transition Energétiques”: A Class Trip to the EDF Coal Plant of Le Havre

What is to be found at the foot of the far away EDF towers?

On the 16th of April, Roland Lehoucq’s class on energy politics and the move towards renewable energy, entitled “Transition Energétiques”, along with some energy amateurs who joined the excursion via Sciences Po’s newly formed Environmental Association, visited EDF’s coal-fired power plant in Le Havre’s industrial port.

13:29

In the hallway ,excited students are met with M. Lehoucq and M. Fertey to catch the bus headed to the industrial area. Fifteen minutes later, under timid sun rays, the group wanders around empty gravel streets to finally find the entrance to the plant area.

14:05

The group is welcomed by Malvina Devarieux, public relations assistant, who explains the history and functioning of the plant in a small conference room. Created in 1946, EDF played an important role in France’s reconstruction after the war and contributed to its later industrialization. Today, the company is the leading electricity producer in France. In 2014, of the energy produced, 87,8% was nuclear, 9,9% renewable, and 2,3% thermal.

Due to its relative flexibility, the thermal park is used to respond to the variations in consumption. Sometimes, important amounts of electricity have to be provided within a short period of time in order to satisfy the daily demand peak or to respond to a seasonal change. Devarieux explains, “A fall of one degree Celsius in mid-winter is equal to a rise of 7% of electricity demand”. Here, Le Havre’s coal plant has another special advantage on the French electricity market. Thanks to its portal location, it has direct it access to the coal cargo, bypassing costly and time-intensive transportation.

EDF also invests in innovation. Together with Alstom, ADEME and Dow Chemical, a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) experiment was conducted on the site of Le Havre and its sister plant in Cordemais. Reaching an overall efficiency of 0,05% for the moment, Devarieux points out that “there are still improvements to be made, but luckily there are also many other laboratories around the world.”

15:10

Students are standing in the coal park, built in 1983, where unit 4 of the power plant – with 600 MW of installed power capacity – is the only one functioning today. Two years ago measures have been taken to make it more efficient and durable: an important modernization of the complex was completed, taking 220 millions of investment. This large financial effort is in stark contrast with the recent decision of the government to close the plant, in order to assure France’s transition towards clean energy. The tour-guide, Sebastien Bertin, points out a key difficulty in energy policy, “the industry is not able to adapt to quick political shifts, as we are not on the same timeline that industrial projects are working on, which is 10 to 15 years.”

15:30

In a vast dark and chilly hall the group discovers the boiler. It is suspended in the air. Underneath, a yellow crab-like machine serves as a recipient of the excess coal falling down. “Back in the days, everything used to be black here, coal was laying around everywhere, and the machine was incredibly loud.”, explains Bertin. Even though on that day the plant wasn’t performing at its top capacity, the many earplug distributors indicate that the noise remains a necessary byproduct of heavy machinery.

15:45

At the upper floor, 12 meters higher, under the roof letting trough some water drops here and there, the group walks along boiler, turbine, and alternator on indicated pathways, listening to the commentaries of the guide.

Second floor of the coal-fired power plant (France 3)

16:05

In the very back of the upper area, behind a heavy door and thick blinds, lays the command room of the plant. “This is the very heart and brains of the plant – the cockpit of the boat, and the people you see working are the captains.” whispers Bertin. The students, fascinated by the many screens, buttons, and phones, inquire after function of every one of them. Learning that the operator (“chef de projet”) is responsible for electricity production sui generis, maneuvering the burners in the boilers for optimal combustion and controlling the good functioning of the entire plant. Assisted by a team of patrols who report everything going on in the different parts of the plant, serving as his eyes and ears around the facility. “In case of emergency, it is the operator who has to stay until the plant is shut down, even at the risk of his own life. Without him the plant doesn’t work.”, Bertin says. “The biggest danger is a “puff”, an explosion in the boiler, which would affect the plant, but not endanger the surroundings. Such a case occurred once in the history of the ‘Havrais’ plant: “They stayed in the smoke, helped by the firemen with oxygen masks until the thing was shut down.”, narrates Bertin.

16:30

While walking back to the entrance, Bertin answers questions about the environmental matters connected to coal-fired electricity production. He explains the multi-step treatment process which has been added to the regular electricity production to clean the vapor of ashes and toxic particles. First, 80% of the contained azote oxides are washed out through a process called de-nitrification. Secondly, in the smog passes through a dust extractor, where electrostatic current removes 99% of the flying ashes. Finally, desulfurization, that is a “shower of water and chalk”, washes the smoke of fine particles as well as 90% of sulfur dioxide. The byproducts of this treatment process are recycled: the bigger ashes are used for road backfill, trench filling and the making sound breeze blocks. Flying ashes and particles are also utilized in the production of cement.

(dossier de presse EDF 2015)

16:45

The visit is over, “It was cool!”, concludes Roland Lehoucq capturing the general feeling. The students also appreciated the visit. “What surprised me the most was to learn about the strong relationship that can emerge between the machine and the men that are using them day for day over years.”, declares Laureen Calcat, “Another thing that I found interesting is the strong emotional attachment the Havrais have for their coal plant. Le Havre is historically an industrial city and the factory has become an integral part of its landscape. It is also in this idea of affirming the industrial identity of Le Havre that these chimneys were embellished by illuminations that make them shine during the night, like two industrial lights watching over the city. Le Havre would not be quite what it is without the two large chimneys that rise to the sky.

Tshin-Ilya Chardayre is a Franco – Austrian second year student, and an active member of the Environmental Association.

Macron: France’s best communicant

20:00, 7 May 2017. France breathes again.

After more than ten months of one of the most rampant electoral campaigns France has ever known and the rise of populist parties – from the Insoumis to the National Front – Emmanuel Macron is elected President. Since the very beginning of his mandate, Macron emphasized on the use of symbols more than ever before. For those who were in France at the time, you surely remember his long walk in the Palais du Louvre as “Ode to Joy” blared through the speakers. Ten months later, one could consider Macron as the European Trudeau: the same youthfulness, but perhaps the same hypocrisy too? Let me offer him my congratulations first.

Just a few weeks ago, during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Macron addressed world leaders stating: “France is back”. Even if we can’t credit the originality of the expression to him (and I’d rather not compare him to Ronald Reagan), we can agree with him. Indeed, France is back. We’ve faced tribulations: a President that looked and acted like a six-year old child, and another one that was unable to execute his proposals. We had a vulnerable country facing enormous socio-political tensions. Macron is young, handsome, clever, and he speaks English: he has everything needed to get a job, especially if this job is called “President of the French Republic”. Since he came to power, France seems to have gone through a phase of transformation. A new type of government, made of specialists (such as Blanquer, former director of ESSEC who is now Minister of Education), a reformed national assembly full of new deputies; younger, more globalized and closer to the realities of the population? This is debatable. Closer to the realities of a population for sure: the population that has succeeded, the one that has the money, that speaks English. But what about the other part: the poorer half, the ones who did not have the chance to pursue further education? This part of the population seems to be placed on the sidelines by the start-up nation; a country where everyone can be their own boss! The election of Macron and his policies have, to me, furthered the social tensions in France.

However, these tensions arise between alternative classifications of the society. From a country that opposed the rich part of the society to the poorer one, we now enter a conflict amongst those who do and those who do not embrace globalization. But don’t you dare worry, because France is back and that’s the most important.

Yes, we’re back. We have a whole new president that is going to China, speaking MANDARIN with Xi Jinping because he’s COOL and made the effort of learning a page of Mandarin. He’s cool, right? Routinely, he uses this handy phrase that will trigger the media’s curiosity: “la meilleure façon de s’acheter un costard c’est de travailler” (The best way to afford a suit is to get a job) ,“une gare, c’est un lieu où on croise des gens qui réussissent et des gens qui ne sont rien” (A train station is a place in which you can find people that are succeeding and people who are nothing), etc. Macron knows he’s being filmed when he’s saying that, he knows this will be used by the media and “répété, amplifié, déformé”, as some would say. Nevertheless, he loves it, he gloats about it. Why? Because it raises questions. Is working the best way to get yourself a suit? Can we really find people who are nothing and people who have succeeded in train stations? More seriously, even though we may and will have opposite views on what the answer to these questions are, and to what extent Macron’s words are condemnable, we all hold these feelings. Macron wants to change French society. Now, his project is highly contestable. Personally, I am a Macron defender in most facets, although I do have my reservations on some points. However, putting political opinions aside, one cannot object that he is trying to change society. Step by step, through reforms, he wants to get France back on the tracks of world leadership. Macron is not aiming at an American-style hegemonic leadership, rather a multipolar one in which France can compete with other world powers. Changing a society that says “no” so much that it could say no to a proposal of increasing all wages (never forget that the only candidate that implemented universal income in his program ended up obtaining 6% of the votes) is a challenging task. In a society where our politicians love themselves so much that they turn themselves into holograms, it is all about appearance.

Right from the get-go, his mandate has always been a question of communication. Take for example the documentary about Macron’s campaign which was broadcasted the day after his presidential victory. After six months of one of the most violent political campaigns France has known… we were looking at a startup filled with young and joyful people who speak English and look like they are having the best time of their life. Where is the violence? Macron himself complained facing very violent attacks during his campaign about his wife, his alleged homosexuality, etc. None of this was shown in the documentary. Macron knew he was being filmed, he knew everything he would say could be in the final product. He contained himself. Because it was all about communication, again. But then, where is the line between communication and propaganda? This documentary is considered by many to basically be a 45-minute advertisement for Macron. What do you learn from it? Nothing. And that’s exactly what Macron wanted: he managed to survive this campaign, to avoid falling in the traps created to shatter his image. He managed to retain his image as the innocent boy, far away from the dirty work of politics. Macron introduced a whole new way of doing politics. I completely acknowledge the claim that his policies can be contested and disagreed upon. But I think we should all agree that he is an excellent communicator. Instead of letting Trump take the spotlight at every occasion, Macron uses his counterpart’s notoriety to achieve his own goals. “Make America Great Again” transformed into “Make Our Planet Great Again”. I don’t think Macron’s call for the environment would have had the same notoriety if he didn’t spoof Trump’s infamous campaign slogan.

Macron’s opponents like to compare him with a macaron: beautiful on the outside, empty on the inside, and certainly only for the rich. While the comparison is understandable, it is completely wrong. Macron has a project for France: he wants to succeed in leading it, and he will use everything in his power to do so. Thanks to his communication strategy, the French society is becoming the least of his problems in this fight.

Nathan Lefievre is a second year French student at Sciences Po Paris, Campus du Havre.

Edited by Alex Kloß and Paxia Ksatryo

Image: middle east monitor