Fall 2023 upper-level French course descriptions

FRH 216: Literature & Culture: “Care”

MWF 11-11:50 / Prof. Tarte / Prerequisite: FRH 212, 213, or 214

In this class we will explore how writers and other artists engage with contemporary issues such as the refugee crisis, illness and disability, structural racism, and the threat to bodily autonomy. The concept of care – in French, “le care” – and the framework of care ethics will guide this exploration. What strategies do French-language authors use to write empathy and care? What can their works tell us about the role of the individual in society and the responsibility of individuals and communities towards others? To answer these questions, we will look at care in the medical context, but we will also consider care more broadly – of the self and of society, especially its most vulnerable members. In addition to fictional and autobiographical texts, our exploration may include bande dessinée and documentary film. To contextualize these works, we will consult media such as newspapers, television, and podcasts. The speaking, reading, and writing skills you develop in this course will prepare you for more advanced classes in the department.

*Did you know? You can repeat FRH 216 once for credit when topics vary.

FRH 315: Introduction to French and Francophone Studies

MWF 12-12:50 / Prof. Vincent / Prerequisite: FRH 200-level or equivalent

This course will orient you to the culture and society of France and the French-speaking world through the study of key moments, people, institutions, and movements. You will gain an understanding of how French and Francophone identities have been constructed through historical events and their commemoration, embodied by remarkable people, and perpetuated through lasting institutions. You will analyze how artistic and cultural movements represent changes to perspectives and values. This course will improve your capacity to interpret primary source texts; develop your ability to place key events, people, and ideas in their larger historical context; and augment your intercultural competence.

*Did you know? FRH 315 is not recommended for students who plan to participate in the WFU Dijon semester program. WFU Dijon students receive credit for this course.

**Please note: FRH 315 is offered only once each academic year, in the fall semester.

FRH 322: Phonetics

TR 11-12:15 / Prof. Pellet / Prerequisite: Any FRH 200-level course

The primary aim of the course is to help you improve your pronunciation and comprehension of French, and acquire a better understanding of sound-spelling correspondence in French. We do so, for instance, by listening to short segments of French from a variety of sources: advertisements, brief radio segments, movie previews, songs, which we use to focus on certain sounds. The class is generally built around current authentic materials, so that your practice is supported by engaging content (textual or other) spanning current events, cultural happenings, or societal trends. Creative speaking assignments allow you to practice your pronunciation at home and record yourself, while the small class size gives us the opportunity for focused work. In this course particularly, it is recognized that language learners widely differ in their ability to sound native-like. You will have several opportunities to work one-on-one on your pronunciation during the semester. This course will develop your self-confidence in using your knowledge of French to express yourself. 

* Did you know? FRH 322 is a great course to take before studying abroad in a French-speaking country.

FRH 370: Seminar: Sexuality, Migration, and Affect: The Queer Franco-Arab Diaspora in Literature

MWF 2-2:50 / Prof. Schroth / Prerequisite: FRH 216 or 315 or POI, & junior or senior status

This course will explore the French-language writing of the queer Franco-Arab diaspora. It will be organized around three axes that are central to this literature: the representation of minority sexuality, questions of migration, and the study of affect, or the physical manifestation and communication of an experienced feeling. What is the connection between movement and sexuality? What affects emerge through not only diasporic movement but also processes of integration and experiences of homophobia? Finally, what can we learn from studying affect in these various contexts? Together, we will examine melancholy, fear, shame, anxiety, and desire in the queer writing of the Franco-Arab diaspora in order to better understand the ways in which queer diasporic subjects psychically and viscerally experience migration, integration, racialization, and homophobia. Students will read the works of important queer Francophone diasporic authors, like Nina Bouraoui, Rachid O., and Abdellah Taïa, while also being introduced to different theories of affect as well as notions of postcolonial studies, queer theory, and migration studies. 

*Did you know? You can repeat FRH 370 once for credit when topics vary.