French

From their very beginnings, cinema and then television have taken hold of French history. These productions for both the small and the big screen are the fruit of artistic and aesthetic choices, as well as the bearers of a certain historical perception. Sometimes taking a stand in debates about history and memory, they reflect the past as much as the context in which they were made. This course demonstrates how the history of France has been perceived in works of fiction broadcast on the big and small screens. It also looks at how these works contribute to social and memorial issues.

This course is a tutorial section for the course CHANGES IN FRENCH SOCIETY. This course focuses on the different aspects of French society in the 20th century and how that society has changed in recent history. Topics range from the French education system to socio-economic classes and French values. Students read papers by different sociologists and analyze and present them in class.

This pre-semester course examines both the lexicon and the syntax of French grammar, focusing on tenses, logical connectors, complex sentences, and argumentation. French academic writing techniques are explored throughout the course. In lectures and with examples and practice, emphasis is placed on summarizing, organizing, outlining, commentary, textual analysis, and forms of dissertation (compositions and term papers). The course also includes training in note-taking skills, using listening exercises with oral follow-up and written reports, training in the delivery of oral reports, and training in methods of debate. 

This course offers a study of major past and contemporary French film productions.