It could simply be because I study at a school of political science, but nonetheless I find it interesting that almost every discussion I’ve had with my fellow students, and this is including even the shortest of conversations, has contained questions concerning my political alignment. This surprised me at first, since in the United States your voting record is a taboo subject that tends to not be brought up, except between close friends and family. According to Pascal Baudry, the French culture is defined by the implicit, so I am to assume there is an underlying reason for asking this question besides the explicit, “I am curious who you voted for.” Baudry also notes that the French culture is “essentialist” in that you are judged by objective personal qualities, such as what city you and your diploma come from. Baudry contends that on the other side of the Atlantic people are judged more by their actions. Following Baudry’s logic, you could see this politically-charged question as an interrogation on my personal attributes and a way of getting know a person better by judging their political alignment. During this year, I will try to discover the judgements and stereotypes the French hold in relation to the American political parties
