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Voicing French: Introduction to Francophone Studies/

Ouvrir la voix : Introduction aux études Francophones

Introductory undergraduate literature course. Taught in French.

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Hollie Chastain, Untitled Collage.

Voicing French Course Outline

- Course Outline and Requirements -

Schedule:

This class will meet twice a week, for sessions of 80 minutes each OR three times a week for 50 minutes.

Each session will be discussion-based, with the 30 minutes of the last session devoted to an in-class writing workshop in small groups.

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Course Description:
This discussion-based course is an introductory literature and culture class aimed at familiarizing students with key concepts and debates relating to identity, diversity, nation and empire in the French colonial and postcolonial contexts. We will reflect primarily on what it means for colonial and postcolonial subjects to write in French and on the specificity of Francophone Studies with regards to the field of postcolonial studies. Additionally, the course will show how understanding France’s colonial history through Francophone studies illuminates contemporary debates around the evolving definition of “Frenchness” and around the categories of sameness, similarity and difference. Focused on literature, the course will also explore other forms of cultural production (including movies, graphic novels and political speeches) from Africa, the Maghreb, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Vietnam. The course will train students in literary analysis and develop their ability to speak and write critically in French.

Required Material:
Most readings and all movies will be made available online by the instructor. Students are responsible for purchasing the following books:

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• Oyono, Ferdinand. Le vieux nègre et la médaille, 1956. (186 pages; price tbd)
• Bâ, Mariama. Une si longue lettre, 1979. (160 pages; price tbd)
• Abouet, Marguerite and Clément Oubrerie. Aya de Yopougon, 2005. (96 pages; price tbd)
• Taïa, Abdellah. L’armée du salut, 2006. (154 pages; price tbd)

• Thùy, Kim. Ru, 2009. (141 pages; price tbd)

Learning Outcomes:

• Language proficiency: Train students to speak and write critically in French.
• Key Terms: Develop a critical lexicon and study theoretical concepts relevant to francophone studies, postcolonial studies and race and ethnicity studies.
• Critical analysis: Identify and evaluate claims, synthesize ideas, and develop well-substantiated, coherent, and concise arguments.
• Research Skills: Locate primary and secondary resources and learn to build a research project. Develop well-focused projects.
• Writing skills: Train students to humanities writing style and communication.

Assignments Sequence:

  • Participation (15% of the final grade): Students should contribute actively to the discussions. Students are encouraged to engage directly with their classmates by adding to their remarks, asking questions, or making summary remarks. All discussions will take place in French.

  • Online Notebook (15% of the final grade): Students will compose 10 weekly responses over the course of the semester (250- 350 words), which provide brief summaries of all assigned readings, identify key themes, and pose one critical question. Responses must be posted on the class blog/canvas by 7pm on the day before class. Students may occasionally share parts of their entries during discussion.

  • In-class writing workshops: Every week, starting from week 2, students will be assigned 1 or 2 peer-reviewers. For 30 minutes each week, they will have to sit together with their peer-review group and go over their respective written notebook entries. The goal of the workshop is not to engage with the ideas expressed in the post (which will be done during class discussion) but to work on language, sentence construction, word choice and receiving peer feedback.

  • Close-Readings (30% of the final grade - 15% each): Students will be required to provide two short readings (4-5 pages each) on two of the assigned readings. Students are encouraged to build on their weekly responses and on class discussions for the close-readings. Close readings can refer to secondary sources and theoretical readings, but should remain focused on the assigned texts.

  • Final Portfolio (40% of the final grade): Students have two options for the final portfolio. Option A) A critical introduction (1-2pages), all responses papers in polished form, and a research paper (6-8 pages). Option B) A critical introduction (1-2 pages), all response papers in polished form, a creative component pending my approval (examples: a video, play, archive- based project, etc.) and a 3-4 pages rationale. For both, a minimum of 5 peer-reviewed articles and outside academic sources must be consulted. In preparation for the portfolio students will compose a 1-page proposal outlining their research project and/or creative component, as well as a preliminary bibliography. During our last meeting all students will briefly present their projects to the class.

Requirements:

• Readings in French and English will be assigned. All readings must be completed prior to our discussion. Please bring all assigned texts to class.
• All written-work must adhere to the MLA style guidelines. Students unfamiliar with this style might consult the very detailed website of the Purdue Online Writing Lab.
• Attendance is mandatory, however, each student will be permitted three excused absences. Every absence thereafter will result in the deduction of one point off your final grade. Only documented emergencies will be considered excused absences.
• Late assignments will be accepted only if previously discussed with the instructor.
• Academic honesty is required of all students. For more information please refer to the Academic Code of our school, but please see me if you have any doubts or questions.

Diversity and Inclusion statement:
In order for the class to be an equally rich opportunity for all of us to learn, it is essential to respect each other’s perspectives, backgrounds and beliefs. As understanding the particulars of individual experiences is a central feature of Francophone studies, it is important that the course reflects this commitment. The classroom should be a safe and comfortable environment for all to exchange opinions, ask questions an learn. If you feel like something has been said or done to make you feel uncomfortable in class or in the readings, please contact me or any other trusted facilitator.

Accessibility and Accommodations:
Please inform me early in the term if you have a disability or other conditions that might require accommodations or modification of any of these course procedures. You may speak with me after class or during office hours. For more information, please contact Student and Employee Accessibility Services at XXX-XXX-XXXX.

Students in need of short-term academic advice or support can contact one of the deans in the
Dean of the College office.

Voicing French Calendar

- Calendar -

I. Pardon my French/ Parlers français

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WEEK 1: Introduction : What is “francophonie”?/ Qu’est-ce que la “francophonie”?

  • Réda Bensmaia, “Francophonie,” Yale French Studies 103 (2003)

  • Onésime Reclus, selected excerpts from France, Algérie et colonies, Hachette, 1880 ; “Un grand destin commence,” La Renaissance du Livre, 1917, pp. 114-116 ; “Le plus beau royaume sous le ciel,” Hachette, 1899, p. 842.

  • Senghor, Léopold, Sédar. “Le Français, Langue De Culture.” Esprit (1940-), no. 311 (11) (1962): 837-44.

  • Spear, Thomas. “Alié-nations françaises,” La Culture Française Vue d'ici et d'ailleurs. Editions Karthala, 2002.

 

WEEK 2: Francophone Literature and Postcolonial Theory/ La Littérature Francophone et la Théorie Postcoloniale

  • Jean-Marc Moura, introduction to Littératures francophones et théorie postcoloniale, PUF, 1999.

  • Émilienne Baneth-Nouailhetas, “Anglophonie – Francophonie : Un Rapport Postcolonial ? ” Langue française 167, no. 3 (2010): 73-94.

Assignment: Beginning of the online notebook and in-class writing workshop.

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WEEK 3 : Through the Looking Glass/ De L’autre Côté Du Miroir

  • Jules Ferry, discours devant la Chambre des députés, le 28 juillet 1885.

  • Edward Said, Orientalism, 1979. (excerpts)

  • Gayatri C. Spivak. “Can the Subaltern Speak?,” 1988.

Assignment: Online notebook.

II. Independent Voices, Independent Ways/

Voix/es de l’indépendance

 

WEEK 4: From Anticolonialism…/ De l’Anti-colonialisme…

  • Nguyễn Sinh Cung (dit Ho Chi Minh), Le Procès de la colonisation française, 1925. (excerpts)

  • Aimé Césaire, Discours sur le colonialisme, 1950. (excerpts)

  • Albert Memmi, Portrait du colonisé précédé du portrait du colonisateur, 1957. (excerpts)

  • Frantz Fanon, Les Damnés de la Terre, 1961. (excerpts)

Assignment: Online notebook.
 

WEEK 5: … to Independence / … à l’Indépendance

  • Oyono, Ferdinand. Le vieux nègre et la médaille, 1956.

Assignment: First close reading due. No online notebook and no in-class writing workshop.

 

WEEK 6

  • Oyono, Ferdinand. Le vieux nègre et la médaille, 1956

  • Malek Haddad, “Les zéros tournent en rond ,” 1961.

Assignment: Online notebook.

III. Gender and the Postcolonial/ Le genre postcolonial

 

WEEK 7-8 : Women Revolted/ Femmes en Révolte

  • Mariama Bâ, Une si longue lettre, 1979.

  • Naomi Schor. “Feminism and Francophone Literature: From One Revolution to Another,” Yale French Studies, 103 (2003), 163–65

Assignment: Online notebook.

 

WEEK 8-9 : Bridging the Gaps/ Sauter le Pas

  • Marguerite Abouet et Clément Oubrerie, Aya de Yopougo, 2005.

  • Amandine Gay, Ouvrir la voix, 2017. (film)

  • Assignment: Online notebook.

Assignment: Online notebook.

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IV. Postcolonial consciousness/ Consciences postcoloniales

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WEEK 10 : Tongues Untied, Tongues United/ Langues Deliées, Langages Hybrides

  • Aimé Césaire. “Discours sur la Négritude,” 1987.

  • Edouard Glissant, Le discours antillais, 1981.

  • Jean Bernabé, Patrick Chamoiseau & Raphaël Confiant, Éloge de la créolité,1993.

  • Michel Le Bris, Jean Rouaud et Eva Almassy, Pour une littérature-monde, 2007.

  • Selection of poems from the CUNY “île en île” database (www.lehman.cuny.edu/ile.en.ile/paroles/textes.html)

Assignment: Online notebook.

 

WEEK 11: Erasing Borders : Refugees, Immigrants, Exiles, Travelers/ Un Monde en Mouvement : Refugiés, Immigrés, Exilés, Voyageurs

  • Abdellah Taïa, L’armée du salut, 2006.

  • Homi Bhabha, The location of Culture,1994. (excerpts)

Assignment: Second close reading due. No online notebook and no in-class writing workshop.

 

WEEK 12: Finding One’s Place : From Assimilation to Integration/ Trouver Sa Place: De l’Assimilation à l’Intégration

  • Abdellah Taïa, L’armée du salut, 2006.

  • Abdellah Taïa, L’armée du salut, 2014. (film)

Assignments: Online notebook.

Individual meetings with the instructor to discuss final portfolio

 

WEEK 13 : The New Republic Of Letters/ La Nouvelle République des Lettres

  • Kim Thùy, Ru, 2009.

  • Graham Huggan, The Postcolonial Exotic: Marketing the Margins, 2001.

  • Roger Little, ‘World Literature in French; or Is Francophonie Frankly Phoney?’, European Review, 9 (2001), 421–36.

  • Stefan Helgesson and Pieter Vermeulen, introduction to Institutions of World Literature: Writing, Translation, Markets, 2016.

Assignment: Last entry for the online notebook due.

One page description and annotated bibliography for the final project due.

 

WEEK 14 : Presentations

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