1
HU 3262:French and Francophone Cultures Fall 2013
Dr. Ramon Fonkoué / Email:Office: Walker 323
Venue: Fisher 125 / : (906) 487-2592
TR 12:35-1:50
Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday 10:00-11:00; and by appointment
REQUIRED READING:
Fatou Diome,The Belley of the Atlantic (Serpent’s Tail)
Georges Perec, Things: A story of the sixties (Godine)
Vercors, The Silence of the Sea (Macmillan)
Forsdick & Murphy, Francophone Postcolonial Studies (Oxford U. Press)
Additional short required texts will be made available throughout the semester.
RECOMMENDED READING (on reserve in the library):
Roger Price, A Concise History of France (CambridgeUniv. Press)
Jeremy Popkin, A History of Modern France, 2nd ed. (Prentice Hall)
Ross Steele, The French Way(Passport Books)
Olivier Barlet, African Cinemas. Decolonizing the gaze (Zed Books)
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES:
This course is an introduction to Francophone cultures, with particular emphasis on France, Africa and the Americas. We will study and discuss historical developments, colonialism, literary texts, art, cinema, music, and popular culture. The course will address cultural issues of particular importance today, including national identity, language, immigration, post-colonialism and globalization. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of the geography and history of France and former French colonies throughout the world, and relate historical events to attitudes and conditions today
- Describe a variety of literary and artistic achievements in the French and Francophone worlds, and place them within a larger cultural context
- Identify and discuss a number of important contemporary issues in French and/or Francophone societies, such as globalization, immigration, and social inequalities
- Discuss the basic components of the following cultural aspects of French and certain Francophone societies: education, family, food, health care, holidays, political parties, public spaces, urban organization
COURSE SCHEDULE OVERVIEW
Unit I:French History and Cultural Legacy
Unit II:French Colonial Venture
Unit III: The Caribbean
Unit IV: The Americas
Week 15:Project presentations
I.Attendance Policy & Participation
Attendance:Success in this course is based on the interaction between class participants. Two (2) unexcused absences are allowed, after which your Participation Grade will be lowered by 5% for each unexcused absence. A grade of zero will be given for any such missed work. Excused absences (such as those resulting from an official MTU activity) must be documented in advance, and work, including exams, must be completed before the anticipated absence. In the event of an unforeseen emergency or serious illness, it is your responsibility to contact the instructor promptly and to supply adequate documentation.You CANNOT PASS THE CLASS IF YOU MISS MORE THAN 6 SESSIONS.
Participation:Participation includes attendance and promptness, preparation, and active involvement in class activities.In addition to attending regularly, I ask that you come to class on time and prepared, i.e. with assigned pages read in advance and assignments completed, ready to use in class and/or to turn in. I also ask that you engage actively in class by answering or asking questionsand by volunteering during class activities. The effort you demonstrate on a daily basis will be directly reflected in your participation grade for the course.
Please, NO food, drink or gum in class. I appreciate your full attention in class: you need to be present (not just physically, but also mentally). Thus, ELECTRONIC DEVICES such as laptops, cell phones, Blackberries, iPods, PDAs, etc. MUST BE TURNED OFF in the classroom, unless there is a compelling need and arrangements are made in advance with the professor.
II.Presentations
Presentations will engage students in the culture of the French and Francophone world using technology. Topics will be distributed in the first week, and students will seek input from the teacher. You will do online research and consult with me for guidance, and do a presentation using PowerPoint. You may include music or short video clips in your presentation. The professor may also help you translate any useful materials in English. The portfolio presentation will be no more than 15 minutes. The format and a model portfolio will be made available to you. No make-up will be given.
III.Critical responses
Critical responses will be assigned as homework. They will each be based on a reading assignment or other class activity. They should be at least one double-spaced typed page (one-inch margins) in length. The aim of the Critical Response is dual: first, summarize the main points the author is making. Then, evaluate and respond to what you read. What interested you? What did you find difficult to understand? What more would you like to know about this topic? Be as specific as possible. Critical Responses are due at the beginning of class. NO Critical Responses will be accepted late. The lowest critical response grade will be dropped.
VI.Exams:
Exams will cover readings, lectures, class discussions, and other class activities such as videos and presentations.
V.Final project
Each student will complete a final project on a topic of particular interest to that student. The project will comprise both a written 7−10 page research paper and a class presentation. Students will submit a topicand an outline, followed by a draft. Feedback will be provided on each of these stages of the project. Turning in these materials on time will determine a portion of the final project grade, as will students’ presence and feedback during all final project presentations in class. Details about the final project will be provided in class.
Final project paper due:TBA
Grades distribution
Attendance and participation100
Critical responses100
Presentations50
Final project50
Exams200%
Grade scale:
A = 93-100 %B = 83-87%C = 73-77%D = 60-67%
AB = 88-92%BC = 78-82%CD = 68-72%F = 0-59%
Academic Integrity
Taking the work of others and passing it off as your own is academic theft and will be punishable by failing the assignment/course or dismissal from school. Cases of plagiarism will be turned over to the Dean of Students’ Office. See details about Michigan Tech’s Academic Integrity definitions, policies, and enforcement procedures at and
NOTE: MTU complies with all federal and state laws and regulations regarding discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). If you have a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for equal access to education or services at MTU, please call Dr. Gloria Melton, Dean of Student Affairs, 487-2212.
*This syllabus is subject to modification at the discretion of the instructor, in response to student needs and abilities.
Semester schedule
Mois / Sem. / Days / Units/Activities / Readings/Films / In class / AssignmentsSeptember / 1 / 3 / French History and Cultural Legacy / The Silence of the Sea
5
2 / 10
12
3 / 17 / Things
A Prophet / Presentation 1: French Institutions/The Welfare State / Critical response 1
19
4 / 24
26
October / 5 / 1 / Unit I Exam
3 / French Colonial Venture / The Belly of the Atlantic
The battle of Algiers / Presentation 2: The French Colonial Doctrine
6 / 8 / Critical response 2
10
7 / 15
17
8 / 22 / Presentation 3: The Impact of the Colonial Venture on Today’s France
24 / Unit II Exam
9 / 29 / The Caribbean / Land of many Colors
Sugar Cane Alley / Critical response 3
31
November / 10 / 5
7 / Presentation 4: Francophone Identity and The Colonial Legacy
11 / 12 / Unit III Exam
14
12 / 19 / The Americas / Le Grand Derangement / Critical response 4
21 / Presentation 5: Making Sense of Haiti’s Situation
13 / 26 / Thanksgiving
28
Dec. / 14 / 3 / The Americas / Speak White
The Hockey Sweater / Presentation 6: French Canada
5 / Critical response 5
15 / 10 / Unit IV
12 / Final Project Presentation
End of Semester
Note: Assigned pages are to be covered before coming to class. The professor will give you specific sections/activities to complete/prepare before class
**This syllabus is subject to change at any time for pedagogical and/or unexpected circumstances. You will be notified of such changes if they take place.