Course Syllabus
WLC 310: Culture/s of France
What is, or was, "French"? Is there, or was there ever, a "culture" of France? How to make sense of the cultural differences between the "French" and other groups? And are such questions still worth asking, or even relevant?
After examining France and the French as they are today, and also might have been in the past, successful students should better be able to: recognize the cultural hurdles to understanding the French, the rich context that forms and continues to problematize Frenchness, and the ways in which cultures can be misinterpreted and better revealed; appreciate the humanistic implications of focusing on a country and culture and the way in which relationships between various areas can provide perspective/s on knowledge; comprehend the value of questioning and learning through synthesis; gather, evaluate, interpret, and apply information to situations beyond the classroom; and evaluate data and place it within the broad context of French culture, whether entrenched, emerging, gender- and/or diversity-based.
In keeping with Cal Poly's learning objectives, successful students should also better be able to: think critically and creatively; communicate effectively; work productively as individuals and in groups; use their knowledge and skills to make a positive contribution to society; and make reasoned decisions based on an understanding of ethics, a respect for diversity, and an awareness of issues related to sustainability.
Successful students should, moreover: have developed intercultural competency in order to work productively both as individuals and in collaboration with others; gained perspective on cultural and historical achievements in French-speaking cultures as well as on relevant issues of diversity; cultivated awareness of ethical and professional perspectives that reflect linguistic and cultural heritage; and developed the life-long ability to evaluate ways in which language and culture provide perspective on the larger world of the arts, science, and technology.
Required Readings
Au Contraire! Figuring Out the French (Asselin & Mastron)--excerpts
Cultural Misunderstandings (Carroll)--excerpts
The Death of French Culture (Morrison & Compagnon)
French or Foe: Getting the Most out of Living and Working in France (Platt)--excerpts
Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong (Nadeau & Barlow)--excerpts
Various articles/websites
Required Viewings
The Class Links to an external site.(available for Links to an external site.rent Links to an external site.or for free via Cal Poly library Links to an external site.)
Hate Links to an external site.(available through Links to an external site.Kanopy Links to an external site.)
Various video clips
Suggested Resources
Library ResearchLinks to an external site.
Grade Breakdown
Active In-Class Engagement (20%)
Documentation of In-Class Engagement (10%)
Oral Exam (10%)
Paper (30%)
Written Exam (30%)
Please Note
Due to cultural differences between the United States and France, you might find some of the authentic materials used in this course provocative.
Diversity (age, race, ethnicity, faith, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, and perspectives) is welcomed in this course. If you have a preferred pronoun of which you would like me and the other students in the course to be aware, please notify us on the first day of class.
Please reach out to me first and directly during my office hours with suggestions and/or concerns. If you are registered with the Disability Resource Center, please plan on meeting with me in person during my office hours no later than by the end of the first week of class to discuss how I might best accomodate your need/s.
Cheating and/or plagiarism will not be tolerated. As per California Education Code Section 78907, neither electronic listening nor recording devices should be used without prior written consent of the instructor.
In order to be successful in this class, students should make it a priority, actively participate in person in each class session, and not spend class time working on assignments for other courses. They should meet with me to review materials which they might be struggling.
Schedule
Week One
- "Frenchness"
Week Two
- Language
Week Three
- Education
Week Four
- L'État
Week Five
- Secularism
- Conversation with Elizabeth Dodge (Cal Poly graduate participating in TAPIF program), 7 February
- Paper due
Week Six
- Exclusion
Week Seven
- Protest
Week Eight
- History
Week Nine
- Business
- Presentation (" 'Diabolically French': Cultural Mistranslations of French Art in the 1970s US Art World") by Professor Allison Myers (followed by Q & A), 9 March
Week Ten
- The Death of French Culture?
- Documentation of In-Class Engagement due
Final Exams' Week
- Oral Exam (by appointment on 21 or 23 March)
- Written Exam (23 March, 1:10 - 4:00 p.m.)
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|