French and Francophone StudiesFrench 110 Elementary French I
Staff
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French 110 is the first semester of the elementary level sequence designed to develop functional proficiency in the four skills and gain familiarity with French and Francophone culture. The primary emphasis is on the development of the oral-aural skills, speaking and listening. Readings on topics in French culture as well as frequent writing practice are also included in the course.
As in other French courses, class will be conducted entirely in French. You will be guided through a variety of communicative activities in class which will expose you to a rich input of spoken French and lead you from structured practice to free expression. You will be given frequent opportunity to practice your newly acquired vocabulary and grammatical structures in small group and pair work which simulate real-life situations. The course will introduce you to French and Francophone culture through authentic materials including written documents, simple articles, songs, films, videos, and taped conversations between native speakers. Out-of-class homework will require practice with CDs as well as regular writing practice. The course will also invite you to explore the Francophone world on the Internet.
French 120 Elementary French II
Staff
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French 120 is the second semester continuation of the elementary level sequence designed to develop functional proficiency in the four skills and gain familiarity with French and Francophone culture. The primary emphasis is on the development of the oral-aural skills, speaking and listening. Readings on topics in French culture as well as frequent writing practice are also included in the course.
As in other French courses, class will be conducted entirely in French. You will be guided through a variety of communicative activities in class which will expose you to rich input of spoken French and lead you from structured practice to free expression. You will be given frequent opportunity to practice your newly acquired vocabulary and grammatical structures in small group and pair work which simulate real-life situations. The course will introduce you to French and Francophone culture through authentic materials including written documents, simple articles, songs, films, videos, and taped conversations between native speakers. Out-of-class homework will require practice with CDs as well as regular writing practice. The course will also invite you to explore the Francophone world on the Internet.
French 130 Intermediate French I
Staff
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French 130 is the first half of a two-semester intermediate sequence designed to help you attain a level of proficiency that should allow you to function comfortably in a French-speaking environment. You are expected to have already learned the most basic grammatical structures in elementary French and you will review these on your own in the course workbook. This course will build on your existing skills in French, increase your confidence and ability to read, write, speak, and understand French, and introduce you to more refined lexical items, more complex grammatical structures, and more challenging cultural material.
As in other French courses at Penn, class will be conducted entirely in French. In addition to structured oral practice, work in class will include frequent communicative activities such as role-plays, problem-solving tasks, discussions, and debates, often carried out in pairs or small groups. Through the study of authentic materials such as articles, poems, songs, films, videos, you will deepen your knowledge of the French-speaking world. Daily homework will require listening practice with audio and video material, in addition to regular written exercises in the workbook and frequent composition practice.
Students having completed French 120, or with an SATII score of 450 - 540 or a placement score between 30 and 35 should enroll in this course.
French 134 Intermediate French: Accelerated
Staff
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French 140 Intermediate French II
Staff
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French 140 is the second half of a two-semester intermediate sequence designed to help you attain a level of proficiency that should allow you to function comfortably in a French-speaking environment. You are expected to have already learned the most basic grammatical structures in elementary French and will review these on your own in the course workbook. This course will build on your existing skills in French, increase your confidence and ability to read, write, speak, and understand French, and introduce you to more refined lexical items, more complex grammatical structures, and more challenging cultural material.
This course focuses on the culture of French-speaking countries beyond the borders of France. Along with your classmates, you will explore the cities of Dakar, Fort-de-France and Marrakesh, investigating the diversity of the francophone world through film, literature and music. As in other French courses at Penn, class is conducted entirely in French. In addition to structured oral practice, work in class will include frequent communicative activities such as problem-solving tasks, discussions, and debates, often carried out in pairs or small groups. Daily homework will require researching in the library and on the Internet, listening practice with video-clips, in addition to regular written exercises in the workbook.
French 180 Advanced French in Residence
Staff
Open only to residents in La Maison Francaise. Modern Language College House seminar.
French 202 Advanced French
Staff
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French 212 Advanced French Grammar & Composition
Staff
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Intensive review of grammar integrated into writing practice. A good knowledge of basic French grammar is a prerequisite (French 202 or equivalent is recommended). Conducted entirely in French, the course will study selected grammatical difficulties of the French verbal and nominal systems including colloquial usage. Frequent oral and written assignments with opportunity for rewrites.
Articles from French newspapers and magazines, literary excerpts, and a novel or short stories will be used as supplementary materials in order to prepare students to take content courses in French in disciplines other than French.
French 214 Advanced French Composition and Conversation
Prof. Philippon-Daniel
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Entitled “Contemporary French Society through its Media,” this course is intended to improve communicative skills through extensive practice in a variety of styles and forms. It aims toenhance student understanding of contemporary French culture, thought and modes of expression by promoting both cross-cultural understanding and critical thinking and developing students’ communicative abilities (in the presentational, interpretive, and interpersonal modes).The specific language functions we will focus on are: narration; description; offering and soliciting advice and opinions; expressing feelings; critique and analysis; argumentation.It is organized around the themes of current events, identity and art. Activities include the study, analysis and emulation of model texts as well as discussion and debates about events and social issues as covered by the French news media (television, print, internet sources). The oral work will include video blogs and group presentations on selected topics and current events. Written practice will comprise reflective journals, essays and collaborative work on Web projects. On completing this course, student will feel more confident and be able to speak and write effectively on a range of contemporary issues.
(Recommended for students who are planning to study abroad in France).
French 218 From West Africa to West Philadelphia
Prof. Brooks
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This course explores the immigrant experience with a focus on migration from Francophone West Africa to this country, particularly the impact it has on children and young people. Through a close partnership with young Francophone immigrants at the Lea School, we will focus on the challenges they face adapting to a new cultural and linguistic environment. We will review the Francophone context in order to understand the place of the French language in Africa; look at the immigrant and refugee experience through a variety of texts in French; examine the issues of mono-, bi- and multilingualism both on an individual and a societal basis; look at the competing meanings the French language holds for Black Americans; and study the role of foreign languages in American schools. Students will participate in the weekly Francophone Community Partnership, an after-school program with K - 8 children at the Lea School which seeks to enhance the children's self-esteem and pride in their linguistic and cultural heritage.
225 World War II Paris
Prof. Peron
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Prerequisite: Two 200-level French courses above French 202 must have already been completed at Penn or the equivalent.
This course explores the history of the dark years of the French collaboration with Nazi Germany during WWII. In the first part, it examines the rise of the myths of an “eternal France” and the “true French” promoted by Maréchal Pétain’s National Revolution, as well as the myth of the resistance fighters that arose after the Liberation. The Holocaust and the holes left in national memory will hold a pivotal place in our reading of the national narrative. The second part of the course is dedicated to the study of literary works written by post-memory writers or survivors of the Holocaust who tried to fill in the blanks and confronted the linguistic challenge posed by Auschwitz. Paris will play a connecting role, as both witness to history and as tangible trace of the forgotten. This study of French history, its silences and (non-) memory will shed light on the legacy of the Occupation for contemporary France.
Assessment consists of a semester-long creative writing project and a final oral exam.
Reading assignments include works by Pierre Assouline, Marcel Cohen, Georges Didi-Huberman, David Foenkinos, Sarah Kofman, Marceline Loridan-Ivens, Patrick Modiano, Georges Perec.
This course can be counted as a Tier 3 course for the Digital Humanities Minor.
Permit required. To request permit, fill out questionnaire below and send to mperon@sas.upenn.edu.
French 227 French History & Culture 1789-1945: D’une Révolution à une Autre. Décollation, Pétrification, Fragmentation (French Civilization II)
Prof. Peron
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Humanities & Social Science Sector. Prerequisite(s): Two advanced courses beyond French 202 taken at Penn or equivalent. Required for majors in French.
This civilization course presents the creation of modern France from 1789 to 1945 through the omnipresence of the myth of Perseus and Medusa in the historical narrative. The objective of the course is to introduce students to a period in France’s history that begins with the French Revolution and ends with Maréchal Pétain’s National Revolution. It also helps them discover the intricacies of the slow construction of modern France. In this course, students are led to reflect on the contemporary French culture and society that are the result and the remnants of the Revolution, and to make connections with the American history.
The course is taught in French.
French 229 Le Francais dans le Monde/French in the World
Prof. Edelstein
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Where and how is French spoken in the world? Which variety (or varieties) of French represents “good” or standard language use? What does it mean to have an accent or to experience linguistic insecurity? To what extent have political forces and movements historically affected the evolution of French? How do language attitudes differ among French- and English-speaking regions of the world and what is the status of French in an era of globalization? In what ways does language shape our identities?
Le Français dans le monde / French in the World examines these questions by providing a survey of the sociolinguistics of the French language in the contemporary world. We will explore how societal changes influence the manner and the contexts in which the French language is spoken. Case studies focus on various parts of the Francophone world, including Europe (Belgium, Switzerland), New World (Quebec, Caribbean, Louisiana), Africa (North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa), etc. Readings and class discussions will be conducted in French.
French 232-401 French Literature: Individual and Society
Prof. Prince
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Prerequisite(s): Two 200-level courses taken at Penn or equivalent.
French 232 has as its theme the Individual and Society. This basic course in literature provides an overview of French literature and acquaints students with major literary trends through the study of representative works from each period. Special emphasis is placed on close reading of texts in order to familiarize students with major authors and their characteristics and with methods of interpretation. Students are expected to take an active part in class discussion in French.
This course fulfills the Sector III (Arts and Letters) distribution requirement in the College of Arts and Sciences.
French 232-402 French Literature: Individual and Society
Prof. Dougherty
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Le Français 222 propose un parcours de la tradition littéraire française et francophone du Moyen Age au vingt et unième siècle. Ce cours, portant sur la question de l’individu et la société, est organisé autour des genres : poésie, théâtre et prose (contes, romans, récits « hybrides »). Les buts du cours sont de vous familiariser avec certains auteurs principaux et les mouvements littéraires français et francophones ; d’acquérir les concepts et la terminologie nécessaires à la communication de vos idées sur la littérature ; d’apprendre différentes approches d’interprétation d’un texte littéraire ; de comprendre ce que le lecteur apporte au texte et comment le sens en est généré et de développer votre compréhension orale et votre capacité d’écrire en français à travers de nombreuses discussions et d’activités écrites.
This course fulfills the Sector III (Arts and Letters) distribution requirement in the College of Arts and Sciences.
French 232-403 French Literature: Individual and Society
Prof. Francis
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Prerequisite(s): Two 200-level courses taken at Penn or equivalent.
French cultural production often centers on conflicts between the individual and society in such a way as to reveal both how literature, theatre, and film are shaped by societal norms or societal change, and how it can serve to reinforce or question norms, or to effect or resist change. In other words, creative works reflect conceptions of class, race, gender, religion, and national identity across the centuries. This course will pursue this line of inquiry while introducing students to a range of genres and authors, both male and female, starting with the late eleventh-century Chanson de Roland and ending with works by authors from Quebec and the Republic of the Congo. We will also watch and discuss Jacques Tati’s film Playtime. We will situate works in their historical context while considering how they convey their message through literary or cinematographic techniques. Students will acquire the critical tools to analyze, discuss, and write about texts and films while perfecting their oral and written expression in French.
This course fulfills the Sector III (Arts and Letters) distribution requirement in the College of Arts and Sciences and counts toward the Minor in Global and Medieval Renaissance Studies.
French 233 Francophone Literature and Film
Prof. Martin
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French 233 is designed to give students a basic historical and theoretical groundwork in Francophone and postcolonial studies, and to help them develop their skills in literary and filmic analysis. It will provide an introductory survey of the richly diverse literature and film of the French-speaking world, from the 1950s through to the 21st century. Beginning with the gradual breakup of the French colonial empire, we will investigate the construction of individual and collective Francophone identities in such regions as the Caribbean, Africa, and the Maghreb, while exploring an equally wide range of literary and cinematic genres. Other histories and regions such as Quebec and Lebanon will also be discussed.
Throughout the course we will remain especially attentive to questions of space – public and private spheres, urban and rural topographies, borders and migrations, as well as the complex dynamics between the Francophone regions and France itself – and to the ways in which these tensions are mapped onto the textual and visual surfaces of the works studied.
Course materials will include texts by Aimé Césaire, Assia Djebar, Ferdinand Oyono, Georges Schehadé, and Dany Laferrière, and films by Claire Denis, Sembene Ousmane and Abdellatif Kechiche, among others.
The course will be conducted entirely in French. Course not intended for native speakers of French.
French 308 Topics in French Culture: Religous Conflict in the French-Speaking World from Past to Present
Prof. Francis
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How has religious conflict, controversy, and encounters with the religious Other shaped the history, culture, and politics of France and the French-speaking world? This course will attempt to answer this question by examining a series of key historical events and episodes from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century and the present day, including the travels of Jean de Mandeville in the mid-fourteenth century, the Wars of Religion and French encounters with indigenous peoples in the Americas during the sixteenth century, Voltaire and the “Affaire Calas” in the 1760’s, the “Affaire Dreyfus” (1894-1906) and antisemitism leading up to World War II and the Shoah, and contemporary controversies over religion (particularly Islam) and the public sphere. In addition to discussion-based class meetings, the course will feature visits from specialists working on the materials to be studied, as well as visits to the Kislak Center for Rare Books, Special Collections, and Manuscripts to examine original materials, including the Lorraine Beitler Collection of the Dreyfus Affair. All readings and discussions are in French
French 313-301 French for Business II
Staff
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In this course taught entirely in French, the overarching project will be to imagine and design your own business to be launched in France (or the French-speaking country of your choice). In order to be successful in this venture, you will first learn about the particularities of doing business in France, from the legal constraints to the mindset of the French consumer. In addition, you will refine your knowledge and understanding of the economic, social, and political climate in France. To achieve this goal, you will analyze a number of authentic documents, ranging from news articles to financial statements. You will also develop your intercultural understanding through studying marketing and advertising campaigns as well as feature-length films depicting the business relations in France. At the end of the semester, you will also have the opportunity to take the Business French Diploma (Diplôme de Français professionnel option Affaires) administered by the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry and held on campus twice a year, in December and April. Completion of French 211 highly recommended.
French 325-301 Advanced French Translation
Prof. Philippon-Daniel
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This course provides an introduction to the theory and practice of translation and is designed to help foster a critical understanding of differences between French and English syntactical and lexical patterns. It will introduce students to theoretical concepts and problems of translation, with the ultimate goal being to improve their ability to communicate in more authentic-sounding French. Students will have the opportunity to practice translation individually and to work with their peers on a variety of projects (advertising, journalistic and literary texts, movie and broadcast news subtitling) and to engage in critique and discussion of others' translations. This course will help students refine their language skills and navigate more proficiently between these cultures and language systems.
(Designed for students who already have a solid foundation in French and English grammar)
FREN 381 Intro to Zoopoetics
Prof. Martin
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We are surrounded by other living creatures, both in our daily lives and on the page, and yet that otherness has endless potential for surprise and wonder. The intensity of our encounters with animals generates a corresponding intensity in the language that tries to capture them. Even if language is unique to humans – a claim that is often disputed – what are we to make of animals' vital, vibrant place in the words we use and the texts we read? How do nonhuman forms of life help give shape to different forms, styles, even species of artistic expression? And what are the practical and ethical implications of focusing on animals' place in literature at a time when they are vanishing from the world around us at an ever-increasing rate? This course sets out on the trail of the animals that populate modern and contemporary French and Francophone writing. Taking as our starting point la zoopoétique, a term coined by French thinkers at the turn of this century to designate literature's many ways of relating to nonhuman life, we will discover a range of recent works whose diversity rivals that of the various species inhabiting them. From Henri Michaux's teeming assortment of nocturnal beasts to Olivia Rosenthal’s exploration of hybridity, and from Jean Echenoz's vivid portrayal of WWI trenches to Scholastique Mukasonga's rural Rwanda, each of these texts forms an ecosystem in which language itself behaves differently according to the life it encounters and embodies. We will adopt an interdisciplinary approach to these animal words and worlds, for zoopoetics is not confined to literary studies: it is inseparable from a host, not just of forms of life, but also of questions stemming from the fields of anthropology, ethology, history, natural science, and philosophy. As we investigate how our own reading practices are informed by human-animal relations going back to the earliest days of hunting and tracking, the trail through these texts will lead us to interrogate our very understanding of what it is to be human. The pre-requisite for this course is 3 French courses at the 200 level; any exceptions must be approved by the instructor.