French

This course covers the history and political evolution of France since 1940. The course examines the following topics: World War II, the Resistance, the Vichy Regime, the Collaboration, the Liberation and reconstruction, growth and crises, social changes and transformation of the political structure, and the Fourth and Fifth Republics.

This is an intermediate level French language course for students who have previously completed two or more semesters of French. Building on the basics of the language and utilizing good listening comprehension skills, the course builds students’ confidence in their ability to communicate. It focuses on understanding expressions and common vocabulary relevant to one’s persona life, including family, purchases, surrounding environment, studies, and work. The course builds skills to understand advertisements, announcements, and simple clear messages; read short, simple texts; and find specific predictable information in common documents such as short advertisements, brochures, menus, and timetables; understand short simple personal letters and emails; communicate during simple, habitual tasks that demand only an exchange of simple, direct information on subjects and activities that are familiar; have brief exchanges, using a series of sentences or expressions to describe in simple terms family or other people, living circumstances, education, and current or recent professional or academic activities; write notes and simple, short messages; and write a personal letter or email that is focused and structured, such as a thank you letter.

Through a series of concept-letters, this course uncovers various approaches to politics. It covers a selection of classical and contemporary notions, doctrines, and various styles of reasoning, and presents their usefulness for the city. It considers what these doctrines and reasonings mean for today's citizens, and how they can be mobilized to understand political issues and act in a just, democratic, and responsible way. Beyond abstract reasoning, the course reflects on the articulation between theory and practice; deliberates contemporary social and moral problems; discusses the formal understanding of political phenomena and the way they are understood, implemented, or contested by individuals and groups; and finally, demonstrates that philosophical concepts are not only elaborated in the realm of ideas, but are inspired by and act upon in the political and social world.