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Nearly 30% of the Swiss are native French speakers. But what do we really know about them, what distinguishes them from French speakers in neighboring France? While the language both speak is identical, their social and cultural practices set them worlds apart: the way they interact socially, engage politically, think imaginatively, engage with nature, cook and even love. This highly interactive course explores the social and cultural practices of the French Swiss and how they came to play a key role in national and international critical and political thought; we will analyze how, in a nation composed of four different language groups and an immigrant population of nearly 20%, the French Swiss contribute to maintaining the country’s highest standard of democratic practices; likewise, from an international perspective, we will study how French Switzerland developed a historic role in providing and enabling peaceful forums for international dialogue and peace talks (UN, WHO, UIT, etc.)