Keiger examines the subtle forces that have shaped France's international relations, from material aspects such as geography, demography, and economics, to more abstract features of France's national identity such as the notion of state and the impulse to spread French culture. The first study of its kind in English, the book is divided into thematic chapters that include discussions of how foreign policy is formulated and executed, the nature of strategy and defense, France's allies and adversaries, cultural diplomacy, and an assessment of French espionage. A final chapter examines France's position in the post-Cold War era, its adjustment to the new international system, and the extent to which old mentalities persist or have been resurrected.

John F.V. Keiger is Professor of International History and Director of the European Studies Research Institute at the University of Salford, UK, and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.