UC Center, Paris

The city and language course introduces students to French history, culture, and language through team-taught instruction. In the “City as Public Forum” sessions, students are introduced to French history and culture through a series of lectures and site visits. Students discover some of the fascinating ways the core principles of social justice were tested in theory and practice on the streets of Paris in the past and explore how they evolved into the pillars of French society today. The course focuses on just how an ideal society should be forged, where all are free individuals and members of a cohesive community at the same time. Trying to make individuals believe—as religions do—in the primacy of the collective, and in its concomitant goal of protecting human rights, is at the core of social justice in France. From 52 B.C.E to today, France has been an exemplar of how—and how not—to construct a just society. To render these values visible, and therefore legible, to all by adding a physical dimension—whether constructive or destructive—to the usual means of establishing laws or setting policies, is what distinguishes the history of France's capital city of Paris. Those who control Paris—be they monarchs, revolutionaries, or presidents, past and present—believe that erecting all kinds of physical structures will render their values concrete and immutable. The ideal French society did not always necessarily mean a democratic or inclusive one. Since the French Revolution, however, institutionalizing the concept of “liberty, equality, and fraternity” has been France's greatest universal achievement and a source of constant upheaval, eliciting a unique form of secular activism that has led to targeting buildings and monuments that no longer reflect the collective's values. Students discuss how the diverse social actors, who constitute “the French,” continue to thrust their bodies and minds into the physical spaces of the public sphere in the pursuit of social justice. In the “Unlocking French” sessions, students learn targeted language skills through situational communication, so they have the opportunity to use everything they learn as they go about their daily activities.

This course offers an immersive journey into the world of French luxury, thoughtfully designed to captivate students from various academic and social backgrounds. The course begins with a focus on the history of French fashion, exploring its evolution from the 17th century to its present role as a global leader in style and innovation. Students uncover the cultural and technical advancements that have kept French luxury at the industry’s forefront, while examining how it continues to adapt to changing consumer demands. The course also provides an expanded look at the luxury world, touching on other sectors such as high-end automobiles, watchmaking, jewelry, and hospitality to offer a well-rounded understanding of luxury’s diverse landscape. Building on this historical foundation, the course then shifts to a business perspective, exploring the strategies, management practices, and digital transformations of iconic brands like Chanel, Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, and Dior. Students learn how these luxury houses maintain their prestige in a fast-paced, digitally-driven world. To enrich the Paris experience, the course includes field visits to institutions like the YSL Museum and Cartier Foundation, as well as guided excursions to luxury boutiques and hotels. These experiences offer students studying in Paris a unique, hands-on look at the codes of luxury and the art of customer experience, making the most of their time in one of the world’s fashion capitals.

This course explores the intersection between food cultures and food politics, with an eye towards arguments and debates that have animated French culinary culture, and diverse interdisciplinary approaches to the scholarly study of food. How is food a portal for studying the changing dynamics of cities, global systems, and national identity? In what ways has food been employed to construct notions of community and belonging, and, inversely, exclusion? Through discussions of interdisciplinary course readings, analytic and ethnographic writing assignments, and excursions around the city of Paris, the course considers how food structures identities, everyday practices, and political lives in contemporary France.

In this course, students delve into the cultural, historical, and economic significance of France’s most iconic culinary staples, analyzing their impact on modes of production, consumer behavior, and France’s national branding in a globalized market. Drawing on anthropology, food studies, and economics, it examines market trends in French food within the context of France’s mythical status as a gastronomic nation par excellence. The course traces the history of the Michelin-star restaurant rating system, ideologies of terroir, and claims to unique French savoir-faire when it comes to food. It also considers contemporary challenges to French food traditions—from the impact of climate change on cheese-making and farming, to how rising food prices are leading to a decline in domestic consumption—and emerging trends relating to the rise of global fast food in the land of the gastronomic meal. Through a variety of case studies the course offers insights into the cultural and economic implications for local producers, businesses, and the wider food industry ecosystem of such events as the recent baguette strikes, international foie gras controversies, the emergence of bean-to-bar chocolate in France, and the growing market for biodynamic wines. The class savors the complexities of France's gastronomic landscape through a variety of site visits which connect in-class discussions of France’s iconic culinary heritage with first-hand observation of diverse locations of contemporary food production and consumption in and around Paris.

Through multimedia and practical classes, this course guides students to travel across the history of fashion editorials through the lenses of photography and film, learning to create in any media format, from print to digital. Students are encouraged to express their creativity in any desired industry, whether it is connected to fashion, food, art or any other idea brought by experiencing Paris. Special visits and exhibitions throughout the city provide an inspiring backdrop for students to produce artful projects. By the end of the course students have a deep knowledge of the main image creators, as well as the ability to develop their first still and moving images with accessible everyday tools. From designing a mood board to producing digital content, students accurately achieve innovative storytelling. This course requires no prior experience in media, fashion, or branding—just an interest in media and the creative world of editorials.
 

This course offers an immersive journey into the world of French luxury, thoughtfully designed to captivate students from various academic and social backgrounds. The course begins with a focus on the history of French fashion, exploring its evolution from the 17th century to its present role as a global leader in style and innovation. Students uncover the cultural and technical advancements that have kept French luxury at the industry’s forefront, while examining how it continues to adapt to changing consumer demands. The course also provides an expanded look at the luxury world, touching on other sectors such as high-end automobiles, watchmaking, jewelry, and hospitality to offer a well-rounded understanding of luxury’s diverse landscape. Building on this historical foundation, the course then shifts to a business perspective, exploring the strategies, management practices, and digital transformations of iconic brands like Chanel, Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, and Dior. Students learn how these luxury houses maintain their prestige in a fast-paced, digitally-driven world. To enrich the Paris experience, the course includes field visits to institutions like the YSL Museum and Cartier Foundation, as well as guided excursions to luxury boutiques and hotels. These experiences offer students studying in Paris a unique, hands-on look at the codes of luxury and the art of customer experience, making the most of their time in one of the world’s fashion capitals.

Whether you are interested in fashion design, media, business, or just looking at it from the general perspective of a customer, this course discovers a complete understanding of what is sustainability in fashion and how to achieve it. With Paris as one of the world’s major fashion capitals, this course takes advantage of the city’s resources, exploring exhibitions and special visits to see how brands and leaders are embracing sustainability on a broad scale. These experiences complement practical, real-world case studies in the classroom. The course studies fashion through the perspective of circular economy to evaluate different definitions and practices of sustainability in the field. Topics include an in-depth look at sustainable materials, scrutiny of production and distribution models, evaluation of sustainable business practices, sustainable design strategies, and the influential role of consumers in fostering sustainable styles and lifestyles.

This course examines the ways in which Paris has, more or less successfully, upheld its position as the fashion capital of the world, through corporate strategies and government policies to bolster an industry, which faces issues related to environmental sustainability and labor ethics. Besides a critical understanding of the economics and politics of Parisian fashion, the class equips students with a thorough knowledge of the social significance of fashion which, in French 19th century author Balzac’s words, “is an expression of society”. How then, has French society shaped and been shaped by fashion? Through lectures, site visits and urban walks through the streets of the city, the students discover the creativity of Parisians, who have mobilized fashion as forms of political and aesthetic expression during some of the most important events of the city, including the 1789 French revolution, the industrial revolution, May 1968, and more recent youth culture and social movements. Students reflect upon historical and current regulations and norms around covering and uncovering our bodies with textile, and what they say about living up to or disregarding social identities and inequalities related to sexual and gender identities, religion, class and racialization. What are the societal consequences of shifting ideals of beauty and style? What does it mean to shop, thrift or mend clothes in Paris today? Whose labor matters and why? And how may one of the World’s most polluting industries evolve to the better in the near future?

This introductory graphic design course provides students with a foundational understanding of key principles and essential tools in visual design. Combining practical exercises with some theoretical insights, students explore the basics of composition, typography, color theory, and design principles while gaining an understanding of graphic design's role in contemporary communication. Set in Paris, one of the world’s design and cultural capitals, this course offers an immersive experience in the city’s rich visual history and vibrant contemporary design scene. Paris itself serves as a dynamic classroom, with inspiration drawn from its iconic architecture, art, fashion, museums, and daily life. Students have the unique opportunity to engage with the city's visual environment and incorporate it into their creative projects. The course introduces industry-standard software, including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, with a focus on applying these tools to personal creative work. Beyond technical skills, students are encouraged to think conceptually about their designs, fostering critical and creative approaches to their projects.

The city and language course introduces students to French history, culture, and language through team-taught instruction. In the “City as Public Forum” sessions, students are introduced to French history and culture through a series of lectures and site visits. Students discover some of the fascinating ways the core principles of social justice were tested in theory and practice on the streets of Paris in the past and explore how they evolved into the pillars of French society today. The course focuses on just how an ideal society should be forged, where all are free individuals and members of a cohesive community at the same time. Trying to make individuals believe—as religions do—in the primacy of the collective, and in its concomitant goal of protecting human rights, is at the core of social justice in France. From 52 B.C.E to today, France has been an exemplar of how—and how not—to construct a just society. To render these values visible, and therefore legible, to all by adding a physical dimension—whether constructive or destructive—to the usual means of establishing laws or setting policies, is what distinguishes the history of France's capital city of Paris. Those who control Paris—be they monarchs, revolutionaries, or presidents, past and present—believe that erecting all kinds of physical structures will render their values concrete and immutable. The ideal French society did not always necessarily mean a democratic or inclusive one. Since the French Revolution, however, institutionalizing the concept of “liberty, equality, and fraternity” has been France's greatest universal achievement and a source of constant upheaval, eliciting a unique form of secular activism that has led to targeting buildings and monuments that no longer reflect the collective's values. Students discuss how the diverse social actors, who constitute “the French,” continue to thrust their bodies and minds into the physical spaces of the public sphere in the pursuit of social justice. In the “Unlocking French” sessions, students learn targeted language skills through situational communication, so they have the opportunity to use everything they learn as they go about their daily activities.