University of North Carolina Wilmington

FRENCH 311 – French Civilization: Identity

Spring 2011

Pascale Barthe             Office: Leutze 291                  Phone: 962-3595

                                    Office hours: MWF 9-10 and by appointment

                                    Email: barthep@uncw.edu

Required materials:

L’Histoire de France, Larousse, collection Encyclopédie des jeunes, 2005

Astérix le Gaulois, Goscinny and Uderzo, Hachette, any complete edition (orig. 1959)

Scanned documents available on electronic reserves (ERes) from the library’s website

Course description: This course gives an overview of French civilization and focuses on historical people, events, spaces that have been “making” France. By looking at literary as well as historic documents, films, comic books, paintings and web sites, we will ask ourselves what it means and what it has meant to be French; how French identity is revealed in symbols, mottos or places;  how it has evolved and at times been manipulated. 

Course policies:

• Your participation grade will be calculated according to your performance in various assignments, attendance, and active involvement in class.

Not only do students need to be physically present in the classroom, but they are expected to come prepared and ready to actively engage in discussion. The instructor will give unannounced quizzes if necessary. Students are allowed four absences during the semester.  

• A midterm and a final exam will be given.  There will be NO make-up tests.
• You will give one short oral presentation on a given topic during the semester.
• You will write three short papers during the semester.  Late work will NOT be accepted.

Grade Breakdown:

Participation                            20%

Midterm                                  15%

Papers                                      40%

Oral presentation                     10%

Final exam                               15%

Grading Scale:

A         93-100                         C         73-76

A-                90-92                           C-        70-72

B+       87-89                           D+       67-69

B         83-86                           D         63-66

B-        80-82                           D-        60-62

C+       77-79                           F          0-59

Honor Code: Students enrolled in this course must respect and abide by the Academic Honor Code of UNCW at all times.

January            12        introduction: what is to be French ?

http://www.institutmontaigne.org/qu-est-ce-qu-etre-francais---3086.html

a commentary on the Institut Montaigne’s project: http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/actualites/20091120.OBS8352/?xtmc=newsweekidentite&xtcr=1

the same, in its original language: http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/wealthofnations/archive/2009/11/18/qu-est-ce-qu-tre-fran-ais-and-french-identity.aspx

14          the 2009-2010 debate over national identity in France

the American view of the debate: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/world/europe/29identity.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=france%20debates%20its%20identity&st=cse

the British perspective: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8343090.stm

19        the origins: Lascaux, Chauvet
                          www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/chauvet/fr/index.html

                        21        Gaul                                                                Histoire p.8-11 

                        24        Gaul                                                                Astérix le Gaulois p.1-24

                        26        Gaul                                                                Astérix le Gaulois p.25-fin

                        28        a rooster as a symbol for France?                    « Le coq gaulois » ERes

31        Clovis and Charlemagne                                 Histoire p.12-15

February          2          the Middle Ages                                             Histoire p.16-29                     

                        4          crusades and Cathars, essay 1

                        7          Joan of Arc (Rivette’s take on)                       Histoire p.30-33

                        9          Joan of Arc (Besson’s take on)

11        the Renaissance                                               Histoire p.36-37

14        the Wars of Religion                                       Histoire p.38-39

16        the Wars of Religion                                       D’Aubigné, extrait, ERes

18        La reine Margot

21        La reine Margot, discussion

23        absolutism, the Sun-King                                Histoire p.40-49

25        Versailles                                 http://www.chateauversailles.fr/homepage                                                                

28        Versailles                                             « L’image du souverain » ERes

March              2          Versailles, another image ?

                        4          midterm

                        7          the French Revolution                                                Histoire p.50-55

9          the French Revolution

11        blue, white, and red                                        « Les trois couleurs » ERes

Spring break

                        21        the French national anthem                             « La Marseillaise » ERes

                        23        Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen     « La déclaration… » ERes

25        Napoléon                                                         Histoire p.56-59

28        Napoléon                                                         « Napoleon in Egypt » Eres

essay 2

30        postnapoleonian period , WWI                       Histoire p.60-79

April                1          World War II                                                 Histoire p.80-83

4          WWII                                                              oral presentations

                        6          WWII                                                              oral presentations     

8          WWII                                       « discours du Général De Gaulle » Eres

11        Le corbeau                             

13        Le corbeau

15        Colonial France: the case of Algeria               Histoire p.84-87

18        France and Algeria                                         

Benjamin Stora: « Décloisonner les mémoires autour de la guerre d'Algérie » Eres

20        France and Algeria                                          oral presentations

Break

25        La bataille d’Alger                                          oral presentations

27        Twenty-first-century France                           Histoire p.88-91

29        France and Europe; France in the world today 

May                 2          conclusion: France and Nicolas Sarkozy; Sarkozy’s France

                                                                                                « Le monde et Sarkozy » Eres

final exam and essay 3: Monday, May 9, 11:30-2:30