Introduction au monde francophone / Introduction to the Francophone World

This course introduces a major theme in French studies, whose understanding has become absolutely indispensable—for French teachers especially—in its many aspects: history, society, culture, language. Coursework will therefore combine a study of the French-speaking regions, of ways of expressing identity through the French language, and of language meeting culture, with an analysis of transnational Francophone strategies for development and solidarity.

Text: A course pack will be provided.
Recommended Texts: Coll., Mondes francophones, ADPF Éditions, 2006 ; Jacques Barrat, Claude Moisei, Géopolitique de la francophonie, un nouveau souffle ?, Paris, La documentation française, 2004 ; Xavier Deniau, La francophonie, PUF, « Que sais-je », 1986 ; D. Wolton, Demain la francophonie, Paris, Flammarion, 2006.

Summer 2008

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L'histoire dans le cinéma africain et antillais postcolonial / History in African and Caribbean Postcolonial Cinema

History is one of French contemporary African and Caribbean cinema since his origin. From famous Senegalese creator Ousmane Sembene ( La noire de or Camp de Thiaroye ) to Martinican Euhzan Palcy ( Une saison blanche et sèche ), from another famous Senegalese Djibril Diop Mambety ( Le retour de la vieille dame ) to Camerounian Jean-Pierre Bekolo ( Quartier Mozart ), from Haitian Raoul Peck ( Lumumba ) to Martinicans Guy Deslauriers and Patrick Chamoiseau ( Le passage du milieu ), we will analyse forms of films, discourses and ideologies of creators. We will show particularly how these creators deal with colonialism, postcolonialism, politics history and aesthetics.

Summer 2010

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Francophone Cinema and the Question of Autonomy (1969-2000)

Since the birth of the Pan-African film festival of Ouagadougou, FESPACO (1969), French African and Caribbean directors or filmmakers have addressed its and their histories, invented their own images, and shown their personal / internal point of view. With the films of Ousmane Sembène (La noire de…), Abderrahmane Sissako (Heremakhono), Med Hondo (Sarraounia), Souleymane Cissé (Finyé), Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa (Muna Moto), Euzan Palcy (Une saison blanche et sèche), Guy Deslauriers (Passage du milieu) or Christian Lara (1802 l’épopée guadeloupéenne) – among many others – we will examine the variety approaches and the whole significance of autonomy in the post-colonial era. This will include the invention of black continental history because of colonization or slavery, political reflections because of African conditions of Independence and cultural aesthetics because of conflicts with European civilization.

Summer 2011

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Histoire de la littérature deas Caraïbes (Martinique, Guadeloupe et Haïti) / Historical Perspective on the LIterature of the French Caribbean (Martinitque, Guadeloupe and Haiti)

Summer 2009

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Childood and Youth in Contemporary Caribbean literature in French

In this course, we will study Caribbean area’s representations in the eyes of child and youth in Twentieth century Caribbean literature of French. Reading and analysing ""L’exil selon Julia"" by the Guadeloupean author Gisele Pineau as well as ""Chemin d’école"" and ""Ravines du devant-jour"" by the Martinican authors Patrick Chamoiseau and Raphaël Confiant, we will to explore the child’s memory, the youth’s ideology and the writers' significance. We will also analyse the thematics of history, truth and biography in literature.

Required texts : 1) Patrick Chamoiseau, Antan d’enfance, Gallimard/Folio 1996 ISBN 207040018 ; 2) Ravines du devant-jour, Raphaël Confiant, Gallimard/Folio 1995 ISBN 2070393054; 3) L’exil selon Julia, Gisèle Pineau, Paris LGF 2000, ISBN 2253147990

Summer 2012

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Geography and Literature in the Twentieth Century French Caribbean

Since the birth of the Afro-Caribbean French literature (novel and poetry specifically), authors always considered geography and/or topography as a central issue. This might include the physical relationship with nature as well as the conditions of their lives.

Texts: 1) Texaco, Paris, Gallimard, 1992 [Folio, ISBN 9-782070-389520]; 2) Adèle et la pacotilleuse, Paris, Mercure de France, 2005 [Gallimard, Folio, ISBN 9-782070-342242]; 3) Pluie et vent sur Télumée-Miracle, Paris, Seuil, 1972 [Point, ISBN 9-782020-239256]; 4) Le discours antillais, Paris, Gallimard, 1981 [Folio, ISBN 9-782046-722224]

Summer 2011

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Cultures and documents on the Screen. The Cinema of Minorities in the postcolonial Era / Cultures et documents à l’écran. Le cinéma des minorités dans l’ère postcoloniale

In the postcolonial world of images, the cinema of minorities stemming from immigration and displacement or people coming from the French West Indies or Caribbean. This course will explore particularities and generalities of dynamic minorities movements. Through a large selection of films coming from Black South Africa, France’s Caribbean overseas, the analysis will study esthetic forms and thematic, political and cultural discourses

Required Texts: A list of films will be provided

Summer 2008, Summer 2009, Summer 2012

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Nourriture terrestre antillaise / Terrestrial Food in Contemporary French West Indes Literature

Food and Kitchen are always represented in contemporary West Indies literature. This course proposes to analyse forms and places, discourses and narrations, significations and ideologies in Patrick Chamoiseau’s Chronique des sept misères, Maryse Conde’s, Victoire, la saveur et les mots, André & Simone Schwarzt-Bart’s Un plat de porc aux bananes vertes and Gisèle Pineau’s Chair Piment.

Texts : Patrick Chamoiseau, Chronique des sept misères (Paris, Gallimard) ; Maryse Condé, Victoire, la saveur et les mots (Paris, Mercure de France) ; André et Simone Schwartz-Bart, Un plat de porc aux bananes vertes (Paris, Seuil, Points) ; Gisèle Pineau, Chair Piment (Paris, Gallimard, Folio).

Summer 2010

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