Probing nucleon and nuclear structure with high-energy electrons

These lectures are an introduction to experimental nuclear physics using high energy electrons as a probe. The first lecture is an overview of available facilities dedicated to nuclear physics, Recent results on the neutron electric form factor and the N-Δ transition illustrate the development of modern techniques and in particular the importance of polarisation. The second lecture discusses our understanding of the spin structure of the nucleon. The last lecture presents future perspectives and briefly reviews the physics program of the 15-30 GeV continuous beam electron accelerator, ELFE, proposed by the European Community. The specific example of color transparency is discussed.