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When Associate Professor of Practice in Sociology and Anthropology Marc David arrives in France this fall as a Fulbright Scholar, he’ll be investigating a question that has fascinated him for years — one that connects his own Louisiana roots with international diplomacy, language preservation, and cultural identity. 

David has received a Fulbright award to conduct research at CY Cergy Paris Université, where he will examine France’s decades-long commitment to supporting French-language education in Louisiana. Since 1969, the French government has sent generations of teachers to the state’s public schools to help preserve Louisiana’s French heritage, even as the number of native speakers has steadily declined. 

“My question is essentially, ‘What gives?’” David says. “Why does France stay invested in this effort when the original goals have become increasingly difficult to achieve? Practically, how do they maintain this enduring commitment?”

Sponsored by the U.S. government, the Fulbright Program promotes international educational exchange through teaching and research opportunities around the world. David’s award is research-focused and pairs him with the French host institution, where he will spend the academic year conducting archival research and interviews while collaborating with scholars interested in cultural diplomacy and international relations. 

Although David’s project has international scope, its origins are deeply personal. A Louisiana native, David grew up watching his home state’s efforts to preserve French language and culture. While he was not raised to speak the language himself, he later learned French, studied and worked abroad in francophone countries, and eventually taught his own children the language. As he began considering a new research project after publishing a book last year, he found himself returning to questions that had long intrigued him. 

“I wanted to study something that I had some connection to,” David says. “I was really curious not only about what was happening in Louisiana, but how to understand it as part of a broader international story — I’m curious to find out how language learning is faring in this day and age.”

During his fellowship, David will combine ethnographic research, including interviews with educators, administrators, and diplomats, with archival research, tracing how the partnership began and has evolved over the past half century. 

Beyond advancing his scholarship, David hopes the experience will deepen his understanding of language, diplomacy, and international cooperation at a time when global connections are changing. 

“I’m super interested in global languages like French, and learning how they are responding at a moment when you might say that international relationships are fraying a little bit,” he says. “These programs are examples of macro-level commitments to international alliances, and I want to understand how and why the French actually promote the language in the current global context.”

His year in Paris will also offer David an opportunity to connect with his own family history — his French colonial ancestors came to Louisiana following the expulsion of the Acadians from Nova Scotia. 

“I’ve lived in other francophone nations, including Belgium, Canada, and Togo, but this will be my first extended stay in France,” David says. “I will be really interested to learn about the country’s culture, and connect with some deep family roots.”

When he returns to St. Olaf College, David expects the experience to enrich both his academic work and his teaching. His recent scholarship has explored questions of politics, power, and language, themes that he anticipates will continue to shape his courses. 

Receiving a Fulbright also represents an important professional milestone for David. 

“It’s a great honor and privilege to be selected,” he says. “It validates the research questions I’m asking and the way I put the project together. Knowing that other scholars find it solid, interesting, and compelling is a great feeling.”

Looking ahead to his upcoming travels, David expects conducting interviews and research in French will present an initial challenge — “I speak the language fluently, but I know I need to polish it a bit,” he admits — but he says the opportunity far outweighs any obstacles. 

“ I am so looking forward to just spending a year giving free rein to my curiosity.”