FREN 101: Elementary French

This course introduces the basic structures of the French language, everyday vocabulary and cultural situations. Students practice all four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in French. Taught five days a week in French. Prerequisite: none (Placement score for students with previous experience in French). 6; Does not fulfill a distribution requirement; offered Fall 2009 -- Staff

FREN 102: Elementary French

This course introduces complex sentences and various tenses through short literary and cultural texts. Students practice all four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in French. Taught five days a week in French. Prerequisite: French 101 or placement score. 6; Does not fulfill a distribution requirement; offered Winter 2010 -- Staff

FREN 103: Intermediate French

This course reviews basic and complex sentence patterns in greater depth through the discussion of authentic short stories. Students practice all four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in French. Taught five days a week in French. Prerequisite: French 102 or placement score. 6; Does not fulfill a distribution requirement; offered Fall 2009, Spring 2010 -- Staff

FREN 204: Intermediate French

Through discussion of book-length literary and cultural texts (film, etc.), and including in-depth grammar review, this course aims to help students acquire greater skill and confidence in both oral and written expression. Taught three days a week in French. Prerequisite: French 103 or placement score. 6; Does not fulfill a distribution requirement; offered Fall 2009, Winter 2010 -- Staff

FREN 206: The Media: A Multifaceted Approach

By way of various French and Francophone media, this course aims to increase your knowledge of France and the Francophone world, as well as improve your oral and written expression. In addition to the reading of various newspaper and magazine articles from diverse sources (France, Canada, Morocco, etc.) you will engage with such resources as film, radio and television. 6; Does not fulfill a distribution requirement; offered Spring 2010 -- A. Fritz-Smead

FREN 208: Paris Program: Conversation and Composition

Focusing on topics of current interest in French society, this course is designed to help students gain ease and proficiency in spoken and written French. The course will be taught and supervised by local instructors assisted by recent graduates of the Program in French as a Foreign Language. In addition to regular in-class activities, the graduate assistants will meet with students for tutorials and discussion groups. Conducted in French. 6; Arts and Literature; offered Spring 2010 -- Non-Carleton Faculty

FREN 210: Coffee and News

Keep up your French while learning about current issues in France, as well as world issues from a French perspective. Class meets once a week for an hour. Requirements include reading specific sections of leading French newspapers, (Le Monde, Libération, etc.) on the internet, and then meeting once a week to exchange ideas over coffee with a small group of students. Prerequisite: French 204 or permission of the instructor. 2; S/CR/NC; Does not fulfill a distribution requirement; offered Fall 2009, Winter 2010, Spring 2010 -- S. Cox

HIST 232: Renaissance Worlds in France and Italy

Cross-listed with FREN 232. Enthusiasm, artistry, invention, exploration, inquiry... How do these stereotypical notions of Renaissance culture play out in texts and images of the period? Through a range of sources (fourteenth-sixteenth centuries) we will use literary and historical approaches to explore selected issues of the period, including the nature of education and the idea of the self; women, gender and society; artistic production as a mode of knowing; and the exploration of other worlds. 6; Does not fulfill a distribution requirement; not offered 2009-2010

FREN 233: The French Cinema

In this overview of the major trends in French cinema, we will consider the intersections of the political, social, cultural, and artistic dimensions of films by a number of different French directors. Discussions will focus on such questions as the following: In what ways has French cinema mobilized (or undermined) national myths? What role has film played in mediating the French historical memory? How have French films dealt with the nation's (colonial) others? Course materials will incorporate critical theory and cultural readings. Taught in English with all films subtitled. 6; Arts and Literature; not offered 2009-2010

FREN 235: Francophone Literature of Africa and the Caribbean

Reading and discussion of literary works, with analysis of social, historical and political issues. Conducted in English. 6; Arts and Literature, Recognition and Affirmation of Difference Requirement; not offered 2009-2010

FREN 240: Introduction to French and Francophone Literatures: Sexuality and Sagacity

What is the relationship between sexuality and knowledge? We will attempt to answer this question through novels, poetry and plays of such authors as Ronsard, Baudelaire, Gide, Sade, Sartre, Kundera and Nimier, as well as films of Téchiné and Kassovitz. This course serves as an introduction to the study of French and Francophone literatures and aims to develop students' skills in analysis and discussion in French. Prerequisite: French 204 or the equivalent. 6; Arts and Literature; offered Fall 2009 -- C. Yandell

FREN 241: Marginality and Renaissance in Francophone America

This course will examine the Francophone presence in Quebec, Louisiana and Acadia through works of novels, plays, songs, films and folktales. As isolation played an important role in the survival of the French language, it also enhanced the marginality of its speakers. We will examine the Acadians, the Cajuns, the Algonquians, and the Québécois, focusing on the relation to the dominant culture and/or language through fiction and non-fiction works, including films outside class time. We will investigate the potential survival, renaissance or disappearance of these cultures. Conducted in French. 6; Arts and Literature; offered Winter 2010 -- S. Cox

FREN 243: Topics in Cultural Studies: Cinema and Society

According to the French director, Betrand Tavernier, "Filmmakers are the seismographs of their age. They bear witness, even unconsciously, to everything that surrounds them." In this course we will use films to gain a window onto French culture and society as they have evolved throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Discussions will be based on interdisciplinary readings and screenings of films by major (and some minor) French filmmakers. Prerequisite: French 204 or the equivalent. 6; Arts and Literature; offered Spring 2010 -- D. Strand

FREN 245: Francophone Literature of Africa and the Caribbean

Reading and discussion of literary works, with analysis of social, historical and political issues. Prerequisite: French 204. 6; Arts and Literature, Recognition and Affirmation of Difference Requirement; not offered 2009-2010

FREN 246: Paris Program: City of Wonders: Paris in the Arts

Home of some of the finest and best-known museums in the world, Paris has long been recognized as a center for artistic activity. Students will have the opportunity to study French art of the last two centuries onsite: in-class lectures and discussions will be complemented by guided visits to the unparalleled collections of the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Centre Pompidou, local art galleries, and other appropriate destinations. Special attention will be paid to the program theme. Conducted in French. 6; Arts and Literature; offered Spring 2010 -- Non-Carleton Faculty

FREN 249: Paris Program: European Identities: Paris and Berlin

Paris is a world capital, a crossroads of cultures, races, classes, and languages. This vibrancy is related to France's central role in the European Union, the evolution of which has produced tremendous changes within its member nations. The transformation of Europe has strained national and regional identities, and this strain can be "read" in various forms of expression, including literature, art, monuments, and public events. Studying the particular cases of Paris and Berlin--a "field trip" to the German capital is planned--students will examine the ways in which France is (re)defining itself within the context of an evolving Europe. Conducted in French. 6; Arts and Literature; offered Spring 2010 -- S. Carpenter

FREN 250: Mali Program: Film and Society in Mali

This course will concentrate on the dynamics of traditional orality within the art of cinema in Mali. Feature films and documentaries by award-winning filmmakers such as Soulemane Cissé, Cheick Oumar Sissoko, Adama Drabo, Dany Kouyaté, and Abderrahmane Sissako will be screened and analyzed. Discussions with some of these filmmakers will introduce the student to the challenges and success of filmmaking in economically-challenged countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso. 6; Arts and Literature; offered Winter 2010 -- C. Keïta

FREN 251: Mali Program: Negotiating the Past: The Challenges of Nation-building in Mali

This course will look at various issues in Malian history (ancient and modern) and the process of political and economic change. A component of this course will be an introduction to conversational Bambara, the lingua franca of Mali. 4; Arts and Literature; offered Winter 2010 -- C. Keïta

FREN 252: Mali Program: Literature and Society in Mali

This course will focus on the theme of social change in different genres of Malian literature, from the colonial period to the present. By studying oral and written works by traditional and modern poets, novelists, and playwrights such as Seydou Badian and Massa Makan Diabaté, Moussa Konaté, and Amadou Hampaté Bâ, the student will get an understanding of issues such as education, marriage, and traditional vs. modern political power in contemporary Malian society. Meeting will be arranged with many writers and oral performers. 6; Arts and Literature; offered Winter 2010 -- C. Keïta

FREN 290: Mali Program: Directed Reading

2; S/CR/NC; Does not fulfill a distribution requirement; offered Winter 2010 -- C. Keïta

FREN 308: France and the African Imagination

This course will look at the presence of France and its capital Paris in the imaginary landscape of a number of prominent African writers, filmmakers and musicians such as Bernard Dadié ( Côte d’ Ivorie), Ousmane Sembène (Senegal), Calixthe Béyala (Cameroun), Alain Mabanckou (Congo-Brazzaville), Salif Keïta (Mali) and others. The history of Franco-African relations will be used as a background for our analysis of these works. Conducted in French. 6; Arts and Literature; offered Fall 2009 -- C. Keïta

FREN 309: Beyond Words: The Fine Art of Writing in French

In this course we analyze and use the many linguistic and rhetorical devices the French language offers us. To do so, we study, translate and emulate various types of texts and develop our sense of style in French. In order to contextualize language use, we work on functional projects, which may include subtitling of films, translating picture books, composing an academic paper, or creating a website. Overall, we will focus on developing a continued appreciation for words and language. Required for the major in French. Prerequisite: at least one course above French 204. 6; Arts and Literature; offered Spring 2010 -- C. Lac

FREN 340: Arts of Brevity: Short Fiction

The rise of newspapers and magazines in the nineteenth century promotes a variety of short genres that will remain popular to the present day: short stories, prose poetry, vignettes, theatrical scenes. In this short course (first five weeks of the term) we’ll study short works by such authors as Diderot, Sand, Balzac, Mérimée, Flaubert, Allais, Tardieu, Le Clézio. Conducted in French. Prerequisite: French 204; recommended preparation: French 206, 240, or 241. 3; Arts and Literature; not offered 2009-2010

FREN 341: Madame Bovary and Her Avatars

Decried as scandalous, heralded as the first "modern" novel, Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary (published in 1857) sparked debate, spawned both detractors and followers, and became a permanent fixture in French culture and even the French language. In this five-week course we will read the novel, study its cultural context and impact, and see how it has been variously re-interpreted in film and other media. Conducted in French. Prerequisite: French 204; recommended preparation: French 206, 240, or 241. 3; Arts and Literature; not offered 2009-2010

FREN 349: Paris Program: European Identities: Paris and Berlin

Paris is a world capital, a crossroads of cultures, races, classes, and languages. This vibrancy is related to France's central role in the European Union, the evolution of which has produced tremendous changes within its member nations. The transformation of Europe has strained national and regional identities, and this strain can be "read" in various forms of expression, including literature, art, monuments, and public events. Studying the particular cases of Paris and Berlin--a "field trip" to the German capital is planned--students will examine the ways in which France is (re)defining itself within the context of an evolving Europe. Conducted in French. 6; Arts and Literature; offered Spring 2010 -- S. Carpenter

FREN 351: Topics in Sixteenth Century Literature: Metamorphoses: Love, War and Monsters in Early Modern France

The French Renaissance continues to intrigue students and critics by its propensity for paradox, ambiguity, and contradiction. Just as literature and the arts reached new levels of aesthetic achievement, the bloodiest civil war in French history was taking shape. Lyric poetry, bawdy tales, essays and chronicles depict beautiful bodies and monsters, war and peace, hatred and love. Through such authors as Rabelais, Marguerite de Navarre, Ronsard, Louise Labé and Montaigne, as well as artistic and musical works, we will investigate the multiple worlds of French renaissance culture. Recommended preparation: French 240-level course or the equivalent. 6; Arts and Literature; not offered 2009-2010

FREN 352: The Court and its Dissenters

Seventeenth-century France is often touted as the pinnacle of French grandeur. Under Louis XIV's absolutist rule, France supported an astounding number of normative measures--from founding academies to policing codes of behavior--designed to help the French nation to become a political, economic and cultural world power. But in the midst of all these pressures towards normativeness, could one express any dissent in the age of Versailles? To answer this question we will examine the creative (and irreverent) strategies used by a whole range of authors such as Molière, Racine, Lafayette, Fènelon, and many more. Conducted in French. Recommended preparation: French 240-level course or equivalent. 6; Arts and Literature; not offered 2009-2010

FREN 360: Topics in French Studies: Algeria-France

For the historian Benjamin Stora, the close and complex bond between France and Algeria is like a marriage, plagued by inequality and betrayal, and doomed to a violent divorce the repercussions of which are still being felt on either side of the Mediterranean. In this interdisciplinary course we will explore the 175-year relationship between Algeria and France through literary and historical texts and film. The course syllabus may include works by Assia Djebar, Albert Camus, Brigitte Rouan, Benjamin Stora, Tahar Djaout, Gillo Pontecorvo, Frantz Fanon, and Jacques Derrida. Taught in French. Prerequisites: 200-level French literature course or equivalent. 6; Arts and Literature; not offered 2009-2010

FREN 361: Identity in Progress in Quebec

In this course, we will examine the québécois quest for identity through novels, plays, films and folktales from the twentieth century. With the objective to understand Quebec’s contemporary culture, we will try to answer the following questions: How can bilingualism divide a country? Why did French-Canadians feel like second-class citizens in the 1950s? What happened to the indigenous populations in the debate of cultural distinctiveness? Why did Quebec’s women’s movement fare better than in France? Finally, we will discuss the impact of immigrant writings on the issue of identity. Conducted in French. 6; Arts and Literature; offered Spring 2010 -- S. Cox

FREN 395: Imagined Geographies: Place & Identity in Contemporary France

For some observers in France, a country in which notions of citizenship are directly tied to a shared sense of history grounded in place, the pluralizing effect of globalization poses a threat that puts the future existence of the nation in peril. In this course, we will adopt an interdisciplinary approach to exploring questions of transnationalism in France, drawing upon the perspectives of cultural critics (such as Said, Appadurai and Balibar) and creative writers and filmmakers (for example, Leïla Sebbar, Claire Denis, and Tahar Ben Jelloun). Conducted in French. Recommended preparation: French 240 or equivalent. 6; Arts and Literature; offered Winter 2010 -- D. Strand

FREN 400: Integrative Exercise

During their senior year students will expand and deepen an essay in French from one of their advanced courses in the major. Normally, but not always, the director for this project will be the professor from that course. This essay may be completed during any term, but must be finished early in the Spring term, when an oral presentation (in English) of the work will be presented. 3; S/NC; Does not fulfill a distribution requirement; offered Fall 2009, Winter 2010, Spring 2010 -- S. Carpenter, C. Keïta