The Sciences Po Bordeaux 2014 exam will take place on April 26th. To practice, here are last year’s correction!
Here are the answer keys for the Sciences Po Bordeaux exams, after the answer keys for Sciences Po Paris 2013.
Answer key for the history/geography subject of Sciences Po Bordeaux in 2013
A choice of two options for history at Sciences Po Bordeaux in 2013:
Topic 1: Berlin from 1945 to 1989
or
Subject n° 2: The Construction of the Fifth Republic from 1958 to 1962
Germans fleeing their home in East Berlin in August 1961, AFP
The format of the test is particularly short (1 hour), so it was necessary each time to go to the essence by trying to be as complete as possible, but especially to build a reflection and an outline which took into account the specificities of the question.
For the first subject, an example of an efficient outline which has the advantage of being in two parts (II x 3), thus corresponding to the speed imposed by the short format of the test:
I. From the end of the war and the resumption of tensions to a first appeasement
a. The Berlin blockade marks the confrontation between the two blocs
b. Workers’ uprising in East Berlin in June 1953
c. The thaw thanks to the Berlin Conference
II. The confrontation between the blocks leads to the end of the East German regime,
a. Berlin crystallized the tensions between the two blocs
b. Ostpolitik: the opening to the East
c. “Real socialism” in the GDR versus the FRG
For the second topic, the students were asked in particular about the establishment of the Fifth Republic and the institutions that form its basis. They are still relevant today.
There is not just one plan, but for us an excellent Sciences Po outline would look like this (within the major parts, the dash list of what needed to be discussed):
I. The 1958 constitution gives importance to the executive power at the expense of the Parliament
—government of national unity with the socialists
—constitution submitted to vote
—content of the constitution
—legislative elections of Nov. 1958
—de Gaulle’s president and the right-wing government
II. General de Gaulle’s policy to put a definitive end to colonization
—loss of the French empire buried
—will to keep a link with the former colonies and the Community of 1958
—independence in spite of everything and the Algerian problem which ends with the Evian agreements
III. The crisis of 1962 accentuates and forges the role of the president
—de Gaulle recalled to power allows the strengthening of the institutions
—from a parliamentary regime to the role of the president (practice of referendums, article 16, weakness of the prime minister)
—“Jacques Chaban-Delmas’ expression ’reserved domain
—de Gaulle appointed Georges Pompidou as Prime Minister
—desire to elect the president by universal suffrage
—attacks against de Gaulle, notably at Petit-Clamart
—motion of censure and de Gaulle dissolved the Assembly
—Gaullist success
If you have more or less followed this plan, you have assured yourself a good grade, especially if you have managed to put the knowledge in, which is not easy in a short time.
For geography, the questions are more in line with your senior year courses normally. Concerning the physical spaces, you had to understand the definition. It is about reliefs, climates. The geography of space.
For the cities in France, devoting a good part to Paris was, of course, unavoidable, the only world city in France.
Correction to the question of general knowledge at Sciences Po Bordeaux 2013
This year 2013, war – as confirmed by a reader @Delphine – was indeed the question of general knowledge chosen by Sciences Po Bordeaux. We did not have access to the file of documents that accompanied the question, you can send it to us thanks to the link “contact us” at the bottom of the page. Here are some guidelines for the essay, and some questions that you could have addressed.
The exam question is about the evolution of war in history, so what was war, what form did it take, how did it materialize? And on war and its forms today, what has become of it and how has war been transformed? Is it to define a degree of violence, which could increase or on the contrary reduce, or is it on the level of the ways of making war?
The notion of war is quite vast according to the classical definition: “Conflictual situation between two or more countries, states, social groups, individuals, with or without armed struggle.”
As always, we had to interrogate this concept, and see if we wanted to talk about a military context, or other forms of war, which was guided by the documents with the topic.
You had to draw inspiration from the documents by identifying the main ideas, and reuse them in the assignment if possible, at least once for each document. The documents are there to guide your thinking, and those who produce the exam questions at Sciences Po know that it is good to give students a little guidance.
For the Sciences Po exam, which is focused on politics, Carl Von Clausewitz would have made an excellent reference: “We affirm, on the contrary, that war is only the continuation of political commerce by other means. (…) War has never been anything but a more energetic means of expressing political thought.”
The syllabus you reviewed for history was a good help to fuel your assignment, the notion of a cold war was otherwise interesting. Why a cold war? This expression, first used by George Orwell (author of 1984 with Big Brother, another more contemporary type of war), taken up by Bernard Baruch and then Walter Lippmann, seems paradoxical. And yet it describes this conflict well without generalized armed confrontation. You could have mentioned it.
Can war be regulated by law? Is there the pre-eminence of one over the other? Napoleon Bonaparte said: “My real glory is not in having won forty battles; Waterloo will erase the memory of so many victories; what nothing will erase, what will live forever, is my Civil Code?
But on a question about war, the notion of peace also needed to be explored. Peace (from the Latin pax, rest, tranquility) is defined, in a classical dictionary, by the absence of war. Thus peace is only a period of respite, and is only thought of in relation to war.
The War in Mali in 2013
In today’s societies, war has not disappeared: Syria, Mali, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, etc. The issue of chemical weapons is not insignificant. Can we allow everything in war?
If you had the idea of quoting the Geneva Conventions of 1949, it is a considerable advantage for your copy. Similarly, child soldiers are an issue that continues to raise questions (see image below on youth).
A new form of warfare is being waged through technological means. The internet is nowadays a real battlefield (as it will be developed for the question of youth that follows). Computer attacks are multiplying, especially between governments. There is a war with weapons, but there is also a war with information. Propaganda, control of information on the internet, censorship, information is indeed a 4th power, victim of wars, but also the cause of wars.
If you have succeeded in questioning all these aspects of war, on the form as well as the content, on the means and the consequences, but also on its evolution and if you have tried to describe a horizon for the future, you have produced a relevant copy for Sciences Po and you have every reason to hope for a good grade.
Correction to the question Filière Intégrée at Sciences Po Bordeaux 2013
For the year 2013, Sciences Po Bordeaux decided to reflect on youth, and the new challenges it poses to contemporary societies. A file of documents was provided to guide the reflection, and which it was, of course, necessary to use.
While waiting to get the documents, here are some guidelines for the correction on youth.
What does it mean to be young in France today?
The dramatic issue of child soldiers is still relevant today
Definition of youth
First of all, it was necessary to try to define youth that period of life which extends between childhood and middle age in man. Pre-puberty, puberty, adolescence (post-adolescence?) all these words could be questioned. Have these periods of life always been the same as in France today? Thus, in ancient Rome, one often identified theinfans until the age of 7, the pier until the age of 17, adolescents until the age of 30. Adolescere means growing up in Latin. To be opposed to the adult, who has reached a mature form.
Mass Youth
The ideal author for a Sciences Po subject on youth was undoubtedly Finkielkraut. Alain Finkielkraut in The Defeat of Thought explains, “Youth: this people is of recent appearance.” And shows the role of school for everyone: “With mass schooling, adolescence itself has ceased to be a mass privilege to become a universal condition. He tells how before, according to him, one sought to make the most to “rise”, now exists a “hunt for aging”. And he finally shows a form of dictatorship of youthfulness: “Nowadays youth constitutes the categorical imperative of all generations.”
Youth and Action
“They say that the new generations will be difficult to govern. I hope so.” Emile Chartier, known as Alain, Propos sur l’éducation
Youth often carries with it, in the common imagination, the idea of rebellion, agitation, revolution. It is youth that can act. Thus the saying “If youth knew, if old age could.” Henri Estienne, Les Prémices
The youth that spends its life on the computer, consulting Facebook, or reading all the articles of blogs like Academics in Politics;), is it not, however, passivity? Yet some of the latest events, from the role of twitter in the Arab Spring to the actions of Anonymous, show the opposite.
Find all the subjects of Sciences Po Paris 2013.
Find also the answer key of the history subject of Sciences Po Paris 2013.
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@Astabie: Good morning, You will find all the explanations on this page: general knowledge Methodology Good day, The Academics in Politics team
Hello, what is the recommended outline for the general knowledge test?
Hello, I have just come across your answer key to the general knowledge test on war. You have studied the evolution of warfare throughout history down to its most current forms. However, the question requires us to reflect on the QUESTION of war in its historical evolution and its current forms. Doesn’t this word question change everything in your development?
Good morning . Little prognosis, what do you think it will fall on in History and Geography?
@Perrine: Hello Perrine, in geography, it is more geographical methods and tools (geographical lexicon, geographical data) that are needed to know how to control. You do not need to learn data specific to the region of your high school, it is impossible for them to fall at Sciences Po Bordeaux. However, you need to know perfectly the geography in France generally, and the cause/effect links that exist between the reliefs, or the other geographical elements, and the development of the cities, the countryside, the dwellings, etc. The program is adapted for those who are in the final this year, in 2014. However the test requires a solid culture, more than the simple courses given in the final, or in any case the same courses but largely in depth. The answer is therefore after the reduction, but by deepening the final year program even more. Good luck is a difficult test at Sciences Po Bordeaux, especially since it does not exist in the other Sciences Po. Good day to you The Academics in Politics team
Should we know the case studies in geography, knowing that they are specific to the region where the school is located? Thanks in advance
Should we learn the program before or after the reduction compared to last year?? Thanks in advance
@Susanne: Hello Susanne, The difficulty is that Sciences Po Bordeaux is unpredictable: it can be both! If the question covers a vast period, it will be necessary to be more general, while remaining precise in the dates, in the caesuras. If the question is precise, it will also be necessary to be precise, and, moreover, that will require even more historical culture. In geography, a few years ago Sciences Po Bordeaux distributed from time to time a map to be completed by the students, this has not been the case in recent years and this proposal seems to have fallen into disuse. The format is really short, 1 hour, so although a small diagram is appreciated if necessary – but in this case it must be perfectly well done, be sure of what you are doing – , the Sciences Po Bordeaux geography test does not require more than literary development. It is therefore a written summary that is simply requested. Good luck!
Hello, currently preparing the contest for science po Bordeaux, I would have liked to have some information. For History, given that it is a short format of 1 hour, for the question on new conflicts, would we be expected to provide a summary of all the new international conflicts or would the question be more precise? Such as ”SARAJEVO from 1992 to 1995? This question came to me when I saw the 2013 annal for the Berlin issue. A specific point was expected from the Cold War period and not the whole period. Moreover, in Geography this time, does the jury expect sketches, diagrams or even maps from us? Or just a written summary? Thanks in advance
Hello, Concerning the geography program for the Bordeaux test, it only concerns the themes Understanding local territories and Planning and developing the French territory. I would like to know how certain notions of these themes are approached through the test. Let me explain: for the first theme we carry out two case studies, but I suppose that the test will simply relate to a general composition, so should we still review these case studies or focus only on the other part of the course? Thank you in advance for your answer.
Hello everyone, Apart from the indications mentioned above for geography, would it be possible to obtain a correction (plans) as in history? Or if not, where can I find it? I thank you in advance.
Yes, I asked for D1 preparatory courses as well as double licenses in French law and Anglo-American law.. Hahaha! In any case, thank you very much for the method sheets, they helped me a lot.
@laura: Yes, there will always be a chance to try again, and that is good news! We still hope that the results will be positive; otherwise you have chosen a particular university or other studies as a backup? You also give us the suspense of the results, it is incredible ;).
@Delphine: It would have been better to skip two or three lines, it is less serious insofar as the proofreader should understand that it is a conclusion of the whole assignment since it takes up elements of the 1st part. It all depends on the corrector. The technique of the conclusion written at the beginning, there are some who like it a lot because it helps them to every time, and there are those who like it less because they are not used to it and manage to write it at the end. Good luck for the competition in 24 hours, hoping that the exam questions are accessible or even easy.
just got my results, unfortunately I was not declared eligible. if I don’t have the BAC 0 general competition, I will try again the FIFRU next year. I therefore look forward to June 4th. for the question on the War I treated the war in its evolution. but also I wondered if it wasn’t the reflection of a malaise in civilization destined to repeat itself eternally. → I took up the Sigmund Freudian expression. again I had the misfortune to use philosophical references. But I have more use of history and current events.
Thank you for your support ! As for the conclusion, I wrote it yes. It may be shorter than what I had originally planned, but that’s not what worries me the most, because after all a conclusion must take up the ideas stated before but without adding too much. From memory, it’s pretty concise. On the other hand, I’m afraid of not having marked it well, and that it will be the end of the third part, which continues with a summary of the ideas discussed… is it serious? I suspect that the proofreaders would have liked a conclusion detached from the rest. As for writing the conclusion beforehand, it’s a technique, which I had already heard of but found it difficult to apply. However, I outline to do it for the competition this Saturday, in case I still get fooled by the weather.
@Delphine: Excellent to highlight the evolution of the war, and its interests, it was the heart of the question, well done. For the time, it is true that the ordeal can be taken aback. The most important thing is to have written the conclusion, is it good? Correctors attach importance to the conclusion, which is why they sometimes advise writing it outright at the start of the test (once the introduction has been written, you can indeed already elaborate the conclusion), and to slip it in the copy in case of a short time. The good sign is that you thought it through and that you had things to say, it is positive! We await the results with you,
Following requests to find the results of the Integrated Courses (and for @laura), Integrer Sciences Po found the link! Indeed it was not easy: http://www.sciencespobordeaux.fr/fr/futur_etudiant/admissions/resultats.html We published the article on the integrated sectors, the suspense for everyone, what about?
First of all, thank you for answering me, and I apologize for the delay in my response. To be honest with you, I don’t know if I passed this test well or not…I did mention the different perceptions that one can have of war, from a military point of view (one of the texts approached combat or civilian experience. I don’t remember very well the outline I used, but I remember wanting to show an evolution of war throughout history, and in particular on the interests it presents. At the same time, I wanted to question them. I also remember having spoken of the paradox it presents, that is to say that Man continues to make war when it causes him more problems than he solves. Unfortunately, I found the test very fast! I had a hard time finishing and I’m afraid that the end of my dissertation will be rushed, and that this could very well penalize me…I had wanted to talk about the new dangers of war at the end, particularly terrorism, which is an unpredictable and very special threat, but I fear that I have not been able to develop this idea as I would have liked.
@laura: Hello Laura, it is true that for the sectors, they are really in the general knowledge of news, oriented towards LANGUAGES. The philosophical references could pass less well, because they would not be spontaneous. We think that could very well be your asset, and that it would show that the candidate has a culture and that he knows how to exploit it for topical issues. In any case, there is no point in worrying, it is better to wait for the answer without stirring it up in all directions, we sincerely hope that it went well! Tell us when you get your results, we are interested, and we are thinking of you!
for the integrated course was it possible to add philosophical references? the results are still not displayed, I’m starting to feel very bad.
@inès: Of course, it is a good outline too. And besides, the one we are proposing is also partly chronological. A small precision, the chronology could begin with the sharing with the Potsdam Conference, it was a bonus to include it, in the introduction or at the beginning of the duty. Keep us posted on the results if you want, it would be our pleasure, and does not hesitate if you have any other questions,
I made a chronological outline in history for Berlin, can that work too?
@Pol: Hello Pol, to answer your question: absolutely not! The exam questions are chosen on different days, for different reasons, and they do not consult each other for that. And even if that were the case, it would be a trap, they would take malicious pleasure in thinking of all those candidates who automatically ruled out these themes. So much the better if the history exam questions were simple, it means that you have every chance for the IEP! Do not hesitate to tell us when you will have seen the exam questions if you succeeded, and good luck in the revisions.
Very simple exam questions in History… Does the one on the Fifth Republic (or on Berlin) invalidate the possibility of a subject on this theme falling in the common competition? THANKS
@Delphine: Hello @Delphine, you are absolutely right. The exam question of young people is in fact only for the Integrated Sections while the general competition of Sciences Po Bordeaux was indeed the war. Thanks to you, the article will be edited as soon as possible to give you the corrected in the best conditions, thank you. Did you pass the competition yourself? Also in history?
I don’t understand, I passed the exam and I fell for the general culture test not on youth, but on the evolution of war throughout history to its most current forms …