Urban Government and the Rise of the French City: Five Municipalities in the Nineteenth Century

by William B. Cohen

In the nineteenth century, France experienced unprecedented urban growth. City governments were faced with critical problems, among them the issues of public order, education, sanitation, welfare, and the organization of public space. Comparing the responses of five major French provincial municipalities - Lyon, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Saint-Etienne - to the challenges of urbanization, this book elucidates the role city governments played in the modernization of urban France.

338 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1998

About the author

William B. Cohen was a historian and scholar of French colonialism whose work spanned topics from municipal government to the legacy of the Algerian War. Born in Finland to German Jewish refugees, he spent his early childhood in Sweden and later Ethiopia, absorbing multiple languages and cultures. After earning his BA at Pomona College and a PhD from Stanford, he joined Indiana University’s history department, where he chaired the department, directed graduate studies, and led the West European Studies Program. Cohen’s scholarship challenged conventional wisdom, with works such as Rulers of Empire critiquing French colonial administration, The French Encounter with Africans tracing the evolution of French racism, and Urban Government and the Rise of the French City highlighting provincial urban governance. Known for high but compassionate standards, he also contributed to professional organizations including the Society for French Historical Studies. Cohen’s writings combined rigorous scholarship with a deep affection for France, its culture, and its politics, leaving a lasting impact on modern European history studies.