Contemporary French society defined through a study of daily life and the geographical, social, political and cultural aspects of the country. A special emphasis will be devoted to current events that shape the image of France today.
Method of presentation:
Lecture, discussion, oral presentations
Required work and form of assessment:
Attendance and class participation (20%), short essays and homework assignments throughout the course (30%); oral presentation (20%), final exam (30%)
content:
1. Introduction. Franco-American clichés.
2. Invisible barriers. Couple life, family life and private life in France
Presentation on l’Alsace Lorraine
3. Friendship and relationships in France.
Presentation on l’Aquitaine
4. The art of conversing in France; body language and gestures
Presentation on l’Auvergne
5. France and its cultural relationship to the rest of Europe
Presentation on la Corse
6. The Republican model proven wrong: education and religion in France
Presentation on la Bourgogne
7. Political parties and organizations
Presentation on la Bretagne and the Loire Valley
8. Feminist struggles: role of the woman in France today
Presentation on le Centre
9. Parity. The “ideal” man and woman and their coexistence
Presentation on la Champagne-Ardenne
10. PACS and the struggle for sexual equality
Presentation on la France-Comté and the Rhône-Alpes region
11. Getting away. What the weekend and free-time symbolizes for the French
Presentation on le Languedoc-Roussillon
12. Values and transgression in French humor
Presentation on le Limousin
13. French comic strips
Presentation on le Midi-Pyrénées
14. Gastronomy
Presentation on le Nord-Pas-de-Calais
15. Distinction: the Bourgeoisie in France
Presentation on la Normandie
16. The suburbs: is France racist?
Presentation on la Picardie
17. Integration and the social ladder in France
Presentation on Poitou-Charentes
18. Image of the French in advertisements in magazines and on television.
Required readings:
Mauchamp, Nelly. Les français: mentalités et comportements. Paris: Clé International, 1997.
Ardagh, John. La France vue par un anglais. Paris: Robert Laffont, 1968.
Barthes, Roland. Mythologies. Paris: Seuil, 1957.
Borne, Dominique. Histoire de la société française. Armand Colin, 1988.
Castellan, Yvonne. La famille. Paris: Presses universitaires de France, 1982.
Dubet, François. Les lycéens. Paris: Seuil, 1991.
---. La galère: jeunes en survie. Paris: Arthème Fayard, 1992.
Dubet, François and Dider Lapeyronnie. Les quartiers d’exil. Paris: Seuil, 1992.
Galland, Olivier. Sociologie de la jeunesse: l’entrée dans la vie. Paris: Armand Colin, 1991. Mauchamp, Nelly. La France d’aujourd’hui. Paris: Clé international, 1991.
Mengin, Robert. La France vue par un étranger. Paris : La table ronde, 1971.
Mermet, Gérard. Les européens: qui sont ils? Comment vivent ils? Paris: Larousse, 1991.
Mermet, Gérard and Gilles Rappaport. Francoscopie 1993: qui sont les français? Faits, chiffres, comparaisons, analyses, tendances. Paris: Larousse, 1992.
Perry, Jacques. Rue du dragon: étude ethnologique d’une rue de Saint Germain des Près. Paris: J.C. Lattes, 1971.
Taylor, Sally Adamson. Culture shock! A guide to customs and etiquette. 1998.
Wieviorka, Michel. Racisme et modernité: actes du colloque “3 jours sur le racisme.” Paris: La découverte, 1993.
Zeldin, Théodore. The French. Collins, 1989.
Notes:
This course is offered during the regular semester and in the summer. For summer sections, the course schedule is condensed, but the content, learning outcomes, and contact hours are the same.
Contemporary France
Contemporary French society defined through a study of daily life and the geographical, social, political and cultural aspects of the country. A special emphasis will be devoted to current events that shape the image of France today.
Lecture, discussion, oral presentations
Attendance and class participation (20%), short essays and homework assignments throughout the course (30%); oral presentation (20%), final exam (30%)
1. Introduction. Franco-American clichés.
2. Invisible barriers. Couple life, family life and private life in France
Presentation on l’Alsace Lorraine
3. Friendship and relationships in France.
Presentation on l’Aquitaine
4. The art of conversing in France; body language and gestures
Presentation on l’Auvergne
5. France and its cultural relationship to the rest of Europe
Presentation on la Corse
6. The Republican model proven wrong: education and religion in France
Presentation on la Bourgogne
7. Political parties and organizations
Presentation on la Bretagne and the Loire Valley
8. Feminist struggles: role of the woman in France today
Presentation on le Centre
9. Parity. The “ideal” man and woman and their coexistence
Presentation on la Champagne-Ardenne
10. PACS and the struggle for sexual equality
Presentation on la France-Comté and the Rhône-Alpes region
11. Getting away. What the weekend and free-time symbolizes for the French
Presentation on le Languedoc-Roussillon
12. Values and transgression in French humor
Presentation on le Limousin
13. French comic strips
Presentation on le Midi-Pyrénées
14. Gastronomy
Presentation on le Nord-Pas-de-Calais
15. Distinction: the Bourgeoisie in France
Presentation on la Normandie
16. The suburbs: is France racist?
Presentation on la Picardie
17. Integration and the social ladder in France
Presentation on Poitou-Charentes
18. Image of the French in advertisements in magazines and on television.
Mauchamp, Nelly. Les français: mentalités et comportements. Paris: Clé International, 1997.
Ardagh, John. La France vue par un anglais. Paris: Robert Laffont, 1968.
Barthes, Roland. Mythologies. Paris: Seuil, 1957.
Borne, Dominique. Histoire de la société française. Armand Colin, 1988.
Castellan, Yvonne. La famille. Paris: Presses universitaires de France, 1982.
Dubet, François. Les lycéens. Paris: Seuil, 1991.
---. La galère: jeunes en survie. Paris: Arthème Fayard, 1992.
Dubet, François and Dider Lapeyronnie. Les quartiers d’exil. Paris: Seuil, 1992.
Galland, Olivier. Sociologie de la jeunesse: l’entrée dans la vie. Paris: Armand Colin, 1991. Mauchamp, Nelly. La France d’aujourd’hui. Paris: Clé international, 1991.
Mengin, Robert. La France vue par un étranger. Paris : La table ronde, 1971.
Mermet, Gérard. Les européens: qui sont ils? Comment vivent ils? Paris: Larousse, 1991.
Mermet, Gérard and Gilles Rappaport. Francoscopie 1993: qui sont les français? Faits, chiffres, comparaisons, analyses, tendances. Paris: Larousse, 1992.
Perry, Jacques. Rue du dragon: étude ethnologique d’une rue de Saint Germain des Près. Paris: J.C. Lattes, 1971.
Taylor, Sally Adamson. Culture shock! A guide to customs and etiquette. 1998.
Wieviorka, Michel. Racisme et modernité: actes du colloque “3 jours sur le racisme.” Paris: La découverte, 1993.
Zeldin, Théodore. The French. Collins, 1989.
This course is offered during the regular semester and in the summer. For summer sections, the course schedule is condensed, but the content, learning outcomes, and contact hours are the same.