France on the World Stage examines the ways in which France's relations with the international community have evolved in a period of accelerating globalization. It considers the role of the nation state and its capacity for political initiative, examining French strategies to consolidate French influence on the world stage. It questions whether an intermediary country such as France can continue to 'punch above its weight' in the today's international contexts. Thus, the book considers France both as a passive and an active actor. As well as assessing the impact of globalization upon France, it addresses French strategies to avert unwelcome outcomes and to deepen global developments by reinforcing French influence and policy preferences around the world. The contributors explore these themes from a variety of perspectives, examining French capacity for initiative in a world dominated by one superpower, and seeking to understand the causes and limits of national adaptation to a globalized order.