Beard Presents on Political Satire, Freedom of Press in 19th Century France

Morgan Beard (HTC French) presents his thesis research project on “Political Satire and Freedom of the Press in 19th Century France.”

Several Modern Languages students presented their research and projects at Ohio University’s Student Research and Creative Activity Expo on April 11.

Honors Tutorial College French student Morgan Beard presented his thesis research titled “Political Satire and Freedom of the Press in 19th Century France.” He was advised by Dr. Lois Vines, Professor of French.

Beard says that he chose to investigate the history of the satirical press in France with an emphasis on caricature within political satire. “I was inspired to do so after seeing the massive reaction in France to the 2015 Charlie Hebdo shooting,” Beard says. “I was fascinated by the passion that the French people had for such a violently political and often offensive sect of the press.”

For almost a century, the French people fought to instate a republican government in their country, Beard says. “As new governments rose and fell, the freedoms of expression, assembly and the press were most closely linked to the struggle for popular representation. Censorship came and went several times over the course of the 19th century, and each time it returned the satirical press was the first to feel its effects. As a result, this sarcastic and caustic area of journalism became almost a symbol of those lost freedoms; not because the French always agreed with what they said, but because their right to say what they wanted was at the heart of the issue. The pioneers of satire in the 19th century gave way to a new generation in the 20th, starting with Le Canard Enchaîné (which is still thriving today) and soon Hara-Kiri, the predecessor to Charlie Hebdo.”