University of Wisconsin–Madison

France: Jenna Crolla (Learning on Excursion)

Earlier this month I traveled to Marseille with my program to learn about the city and its culture. One of our many stops on the trip was to the Cathédrale Basilique Sainte-Marie-Majeure, aka la Major. I was able to connect my visit to the cathedral back to my Culture and Society in France class because a group of students gave a presentation about how the Catholic Pope was scheduled to visit Marseille the next weekend, and that President Macron planned to greet him. The concept of laïcité, the separation of church and state, is a core principle of the French Republic, so there was great debate in the country about whether the President was crossing a line by meeting the Pope. Mixing official state business with religion goes against the principle of laïcité. Macron argued he was doing it as a personal errand, theoretically ending the debate.

A basilica with tan and gray striped walls, including several towers and one giant, domed roof in the center.
The stripes on the basilica walls come from two different types of rock and make for a really memorable exterior view!

Macron had also recently pulled together a task force asking for donations towards maintenance of churches throughout the country. Yet another instance of potential splintering of state laïcité, but this task was argued as being secular because 1) the donations meant for the maintenance of the churches were coming from private sources and not the state, and 2) the churches in France are considered cultural sites; their maintenance would be of cultural (and by extension touristic and economic) benefit, not religious benefit. Having myself visited several churches in both my host city Aix and in Marseille, I see both sides of the debate. The churches contain centuries of history and art. But does that validate the blurring of lines of what the government is allowed to do as a secular state? It’s an interesting topic, and I’m curious to see how the French maneuver around such events in the future.

Jenna smiles in front of a bush with small white and pink flowers.

Jenna Crolla

Hometown: Mount Horeb, Wisconsin

Major: International Studies

Program: Academic Programs in Aix-en-Provence

I chose my program because I really wanted to be able to immerse myself in the French language. I’m also hoping to live in a city that isn’t a huge metropolis, for which Aix-en-Provence fits the bill. Both of those factors combined with the classes at Sciences Po being perfect for my International Studies major made it the perfect choice for me.