FREN 5011 – Topics in Medieval Literature

Introduction to reading Old French, with consideration of its main dialects (Ile-de-France, Picard, Anglo-Norman) and paleographical issues. May be taken in conjunction with FREN 5510/8510 or independently. Weekly reading exercises, a transcription and translation exercise, and a final open-book exam. Prerequisite: good reading knowledge of modern French, Latin or another romance language. Taught in English.

M         1:00 pm – 1:50 pm (Ogden)

FREN 5510/8510  – Topics in Medieval Literature:  MEDIEVAL Saints’ Lives

African saints.  Trans saints.  Saints’ Lives as media.  Saints in material culture and literature and history.

Recent academic enthusiasm for medieval saints’ Lives has begun to uncover the usefulness of this genre for gaining deeper understanding of both medieval and modern attitudes toward a variety of topics, from sexuality and sentiments to materiality and foreign cultures.  Reading Lives written between 880 and the late thirteenth century, together with the work of some of the most engaging scholars in the field of hagiography studies, we will investigate a variety of issues that resonate with current interests in the broader fields of medieval and French studies.  Readings include the Lives of St. Mary the Egyptian (a courtesan turned hermit), St. Catherine of Alexandria (known for her wisdom), St. Alexis (who abandoned his family), St. Louis IX (king of France), St. Euphrosyne (a woman who became a male monk), and St. Moses the Ethiopian (a brigand turned abbot).

MW 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (Ogden)

FREN 5585.001/8585.001 – Topics in Civilization/Cultural Studies

This course will question nineteenth century archives in postcolonial francophone studies and their impact in writing cultural history. Colonialism destroyed cultural archives partly or completely. To understand the writing of cultural history in postcolonial contexts, it is urgent to have a better understanding of where the archives are and how we can explore them to write a decolonized cultural history. 

W         3:30 pm – 6:00 pm (Boutaghou)

FREN 5585.002/8585.002 – Topics in Civilization/Cultural Studies

The history of Literature is inseparable from the manifold efforts to limit, control, and repress writings which were (are) deemed subversive, deviant, or immoral. For most writers, playing with, around, or against religious, political, and moral censorships has been a necessary part of their art and trade to avoid jail, exile —or worse. This is, however, only one side of the coin. Another, no less important aspect of literary censorship is self-censorship. By self-censorship, I am not referring solely to personal decisions leading writers to tune down their works (or keep them for themselves). I am also referring to the many limitations imposed upon writing by the literary milieu itself, and its institutions. While self-censorship most often derives from the writer's desire to protect him/herself from harmful “consequences”, limitations placed upon writing by literary societies or institutions take various forms, and reflect diverse intentions. Traditionally, studies about censorship have been disconnected from studies about the esthetical rules and regulations prevailing in literary societies, such as the statements and rulings issued by Académies; the règles defining a literary genre; the check put on literary activities by normative critique; not forgetting the ukases issued by avant-garde groups.

In this course, we will look at the two faces of the coin by 1) historically revisiting the judicial forms of censorship (arrests, trials, etc.), and their impact upon literature; 2) examining in which ways, and to what extent the gens de lettres themselves established and enforced limitations, or taboos.

Last, but not least, we will try to examine and assert the creative, productive consequences of censorship and its constraints, in terms of literary innovation.   SCHEDULE AND DETAILS ON COLLAB

T          3:30 pm – 6:15 pm  (Roger)

FREN 7040 – Theories & Methods of Language Teaching

An introduction to pedagogical approaches currently practiced in second-language courses at the university level. Students will examine critically the theories behind various methodologies and the relation of those theories to their own teaching experience and goals. Assignments include readings and case studies on the teaching of French, development and critique of pedagogical materials, peer observation and analysis, and a portfolio project for collecting, sharing, and reflecting on teaching methods.

Required for all GTAs teaching French at UVa for the first time. Restricted to Graduate Teaching Assistants in French. 3 credits. Students will register for the graded (letter grade) option in the SIS. Graduate exchange instructors will take the course as auditors.

TR       2:00 PM – 3:15 PM (James)

FRTR 3559  New Course French Cultural Topics - Race in the US, France, and the Francophone World

• Students and scholars from the US, France and the francophone world explore how race matters now in our lives, our studies, our scholarship
• An opportunity to look at race through a comparative geographic and historical lens

The acute need to eliminate racial injustices of all kinds and the urgency of building a more equitable and just society are on everyone’s mind.  In response to our nation’s current civic moment, the Department of French is offering students this exciting new interdisciplinary course this fall only.

Together, students and scholars from the US, France and the Francophone world will explore how race matters in our lives, our studies, our scholarship. By examining race through a comparative geographic, contemporary, and historical lens, we will better understand how our different national experiences are interconnected but also how they diverge.

Guest speakers will address the interconnected legacies of slavery, racism and empire; questions of cultural memorialization; debates on statues and street naming in France, the US and in other places in the francophone world such as Senegal.

It is our hope that our discussions will help us better understand our role in imagining and enacting a more responsible and inclusive cultural landscape for our university, our city, our world. 
(1 hour course - taught in English)

FR     12:00 pm - 1:15 pm (Lyons)

CREO 1010-001  – Elementary Creole I

Development of basic oral expression, listening and reading comprehension, and writing.  Pre-requisite: No previous formal instruction of French or Creole is required.

MWF   3:05 pm – 4:05 pm    Dramé

CREO 2010-001  – Intermediate Creole I

Develops the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Creole.

Enrollment Requirement:  Must have completed CREO 1020.

Pre-requisite:  Two previous semesters of Elementary Creole (I and II)

MWF   1:40 pm – 2:40  pm    Dramé

FREN 3030 – Phonetics: The Sounds of French

FREN 3030 is an introductory course in French phonetics. It provides basic concepts in articulatory phonetics and phonological theory, and offers students techniques for improving their own pronunciation. The course will cover the physical characteristics of individual French sounds; the relationship between these sounds and their written representation (orthography); the rules governing the pronunciation of "standard French"; the most salient phonological features of selected French varieties; phonetic differences between French and English sounds; and to some extent, ‘la musique du français’, i.e., prosodic phenomena (le rythme, l’accent, l’intonation, la syllabation). Practical exercises in 'ear-training' (the perception of sounds) and 'phonetic transcription' (using IPA) are also essential components of this dynamic course.

Pre-requisite: FREN 2020 (or equivalent).  Course taught in French; counts for major/minor credit in French and Linguistics

TR       11:00 am  - 12:15 pm (Saunders)
TR         2:00 pm  –  3:15 pm  (Saunders

FREN 3031 – Finding Your Voice in French

This course offers an opportunity for students to explore and develop their own “voice” in written and spoken French. Through reading and viewing a variety of cultural artifacts in French, and completing a series of individual and collaborative creative projects, students will have a chance to develop their own potential for self-expression. They will develop greater confidence in their communicative skills, command of grammar, and ability to revise and edit their own work. The course is conducted entirely in French.

Pre-requisite: Completion of FREN 2020 or 2320; exemption from FREN 2020 by the UVA (F-Cape) Placement Test; a score of 3 on the AP French Language Exam; or a score of at least 660 on the SAT exam. FREN 3031 is a Pre-requisite for all undergraduate French courses at a higher level. FREN 3031 is required for the FREN major and minor.

MWF   10:00 am -10:50 am (Geer)
MWF 11:00 am – 12:15 pm( Staff)
TR       11:00 am – 12:15 pm  (Staff)
TR       12:30 pm – 1:45 pm    (Staff)

FREN 3032 – Image, Text, Culture

In this course, students will discover and engage critically with a broad sampling of French and Francophone cultural production representing a variety of periods, genres, approaches, and media.  Students will learn how to become more sensitive observers of French and Francophone culture, attuned to the nuances of content and form. They will read, watch, write about, and discuss a range of works that may include poetry, painting, prose, music, theater, films, graphic novels, photographs, essays, and historical documents. They will also make significant progress in their oral and written comprehension and communication in French.  The course is conducted entirely in French.

Pre-requisite: French 3031. FREN 3032 is a Pre-requisite for nearly all French undergraduate courses on a higher level.

TR       9:30 am – 10:45 am (Lyons)
TR       2:00 pm –   3:00 pm (Tsien)
MWF   1:00 pm –   1:50 pm (Hall)
TR       3:30 pm –   4:45 pm (Dramé)

FREN 3034 Advanced Oral Expression:  Contemporary Culture in Conversation 

This class will be centered on discussion about contemporary current events and practices in France. Using French online newspapers, magazines, radio, and television, this course will allow students to learn and reflect on issues that are of immediate concern to their francophone contemporaries. Topics to be discussed will be largely based on student-driven interests, but likely topics will include education, family life, business culture, immigration, the arts, and Franco-American relations. In addition to engaged involvement in class discussions, students will be graded based on in-class presentations (individual and group), an audio and/or video contribution to a class web-journal, and a final oral exam. 

(Pre-requisite:  FREN 3031 and either completion of FREN 3032 or concurrent enrollment in FREN 3032).  This course is not intended for students who are native speakers of French or whose secondary education was in French schools.

MW   3:30 pm - 4:45 pm (McGrady)

FREN 3035 Business French

In this course, students will learn general knowledge about the business world in France and the French-speaking world, and specifically concepts on organizational structures, the primary positions within those businesses and major industries. They will also gain experience in business research, will hone their oral and written French for use in a professional-setting, will have a practice job interview, and will learn the practical aspects of living and working in French.

At the end of the semester, students will have the possibility to take the Diplôme de Français des Affaires (B1) for a fee charged by the Chambre de Commerce et de l’Industrie de Paris.

Pre-requisite: FREN 3031 and 3032 

MW 3:30 pm - 4:45 pm (Staff)

FREN 3036  – Introduction to Translation

Comment dit-on… ? Que veut dire… ? This course will provide a practical and theoretical introduction to methods of translation. We will translate literary and non-literary texts such as news articles, ads, songs, essays, poems, and short stories from French to English and from English to French. Classes will be in the form of workshops as we take on the role of the translator and collaborate on translation projects using different practices and methods of translation, all while undertaking a comparative review of French (and English!) grammar and analyzing various cultural topics.

**Students who have already taken FREN 4035 “Tools and Techniques of Translation” may not enroll in this course.

Pre-requisite: FREN 2020 or FREN 2320 or equivalent placement

MWF   10:00 AM – 10:50 AM (Hall)

FREN 3041 – The French-Speaking World I:  Origins

Globalization.  Love and friendship.  Encounters with other cultures and peoples.  Separation of Church and State.  Bourgeois values.  Law and justice.  Where did these features of modern life come from and—more importantly—what other forms might they have taken or might they still evolve into?  It is said that history is written by the victors, but historical documents—literature, histories, prayer books, etc.—retain the evidence of alternate values as well as hints of (temporarily?) abandoned futures.  Can we escape our preconceptions of the past and uncover, in the documents, different histories?  Histories that offer alternative ways of thinking about modern institutions, assumptions, and inequities and about the stories that give them authority?

Readings in the course will be in modern French translation, with occasional discussions of the original medieval and middle French if students are interested in the history of the language.  We’ll begin with the earliest narrative in French (ca. 880 C.E.) and continue up to about 1600, looking both at classic texts and little-known treasures.  Reading and writing assignments will be appropriate both for students coming directly from FREN 3032 and for more advanced students who want to hone their close reading and analytical/persuasive writing skills in French.

Pre-requisite:  FREN 3032

MWF   11:00  am – 12:15 pm(Ogden)

FREN 3042 – French-Speaking World II

During the Classical Era, Louis XIV built Versailles, France colonized Canada and the Caribbean, philosophers dared to challenge the Catholic Church, and in the end, the Revolution changed France forever. In view of this tumultuous historical background, this course will provide an overview of the writings of this era, from the canonical works of Corneille, Molière, Voltaire, and Diderot to lesser-known but significant works.  We will pay particular attention to the idea of “nature” which radically changed meaning in this period. 

Pre-requisite:  FREN 3032

TR       12:30 pm – 1:45 pm (Lyons)

FREN 3043.001 –The French-Speaking World III: Modernities

Great Books

Rather than focus on any single theme, movement, motif, or overarching problematic, this seminar will examine a few of the most admired and influential novels in the history of modern French literature. Special attention will be paid to the potential uses (and to the ultimate uselessness) of literature. How might reading fiction inform our understanding of the world and our place in it? Texts may include, but are certainly not limited to, Balzac’s tale of a young law student’s drive to make it in the big city in Le Père Goriot; Flaubert’s portrait of the original desperate housewife in Madame Bovary; Robbe-Grillet’s scandalously puzzling La jalousie ; Georges Perec's critique of consumer society in the 1960s (Les Choses); and Jean-Philippe Toussaint's critical, and rather funny tale about TV (La television). We will likely end our semester with an "extremely contemporary" novel, or two, published at some point during the twenty-first century.

Required work to include: active participation in class discussion, weekly ruminations on the readings posted to a forum on Collab, an oral presentation, and two analytical essays. Course conducted entirely in French.

Pre-requisite:  FREN 3032

TR       9:30 AM – 10:45 AM (Blatt)

FREN 3559 - New Course in French, and the Francophone World

• Students and scholars from the US, France and the francophone world explore how race matters now in our lives, our studies, our scholarship
• An opportunity to look at race through a comparative geographic and historical lens

The acute need to eliminate racial injustices of all kinds and the urgency of building a more equitable and just society are on everyone’s mind.  In response to our nation’s current civic moment, the Department of French is offering students this exciting new interdisciplinary course this fall only.

Together, students and scholars from the US, France and the Francophone world will explore how race matters in our lives, our studies, our scholarship. By examining race through a comparative geographic, contemporary, and historical lens, we will better understand how our different national experiences are interconnected but also how they diverge.

Guest speakers will address the interconnected legacies of slavery, racism and empire; questions of cultural memorialization; debates on statues and street naming in France, the US and in other places in the francophone world such as Senegal.

It is our hope that our discussions will help us better understand our role in imagining and enacting a more responsible and inclusive cultural landscape for our university, our city, our world. (Available for French majors and minors.  1 hour course)

FR        12:00 PM - 1:15 PM (James)

FREN 3585 - Slave Narratives from the Francophone World (Antilles,  Haïti, Mauritius)

The slave narrative is originally a type of literary genre involving the (written) autobiographical accounts of enslaved Africans in Great Britain and its colonies (the later United States, Canada, and Caribbean nations), from the end of 18th century to the early 1920s. The genre is still vivid through the “neo-slave narrative”, a modern fictional work set in the slavery era by contemporary authors (Toni Morrison, Edward P. Jones, Marie-Elena Jones, etc.).

This course will examine how Francophone writers deal with this Anglophone literary tradition to “think” the postcolonial situation and “shape” the postcolonial subject from the slave perspective in the Francophone contemporary World (Antilles, Haïti, Mauritius).

We will more particularly study: Maryse Condé, Moi, Tituba, sorcière… Noire de Salem (1988) [Guadeloupe]; Patrick Chamoiseau, L’esclave vieil homme et le molosse (1999) [Martinique]; Evelyne Trouillot, Rosalie l’infâme (2003) [Haïti]; and Natacha Appanah, Les rochers de poudre d’or (2006) [Île Maurice].

Requirements include: 1) regular reading and active participation in class discussion, 2) an oral presentation on a particular aspect of the Francophone contemporary slave narrative, 3) a series of short commentaries from the four novels, 4) and a final paper. Prerequisites: FREN 3032. Course conducted in French.

TR      3:30 pm - 4:45 pm (Lombart)

FREN 4410 – The Enlightenment

The Enlightenment, or Les Lumières, was one of the most important movements in Western intellectual history. Its proponents fought against superstition and a corrupt monarchy with notoriously witty essays and with fictions that seemed, on the surface, to be about sentimentality, sex, or exotic lands. In this course, we will consider how famous philosophes such as Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau brought France into a new era and inadvertently inspired the American and then the French Revolutions. We will examine how their writings treated issues such as: slavery, women's sexuality, blasphemy, the conflict between religion and science, and moral relativism among various countries. We will also focus on strategies used by the authors to hide their provocative ideas from government censors.  

Pre-requisite:  Any course above FREN 3032

TR       3:30 pm – 4:45 pm (Tsien)

FREN 4580 – Advanced Topics in Literature:  The Extreme Contemporary, or What the French are Reading Now 

This course is designed as a survey of contemporary French literature. One might even call it an introduction to what has come to be known as “extremely contemporary” French literature, which is to say books that have been published within the last few years. After an initial consideration of some of the major trends to have emerged on the French literary scene since the turn of the twenty-first century, students will read a selection of texts (fictions, non-fictions, and works that fall somewhere in between) that have been hailed by critics and readers alike. While the course focuses on what kinds of books the French are reading today, we will also consider how they read, how they talk about what they are reading, and how they inform themselves further about what to read next by consulting a number of essential and readily available resources for enthusiasts of contemporary French writing, like magazines, radio programs, websites, blogs, book reviews, and television programs (indeed, the French have a long tradition of producing quality Book TV). Works by writers such as Jean Rolin, Jean Echenoz, Maylis de Kerangal, Vincent Almendros, Gael Faye, Leila Slimani, Adeline Dieudonné, and Michel Houellebecq may find their way onto the syllabus. We will also endeavor to schedule a few opportunities for students to discuss their readings (over skype) with the writers themselves.

Requirements include regular reading and active participation in class discussion, an oral presentation on a particular aspect of the contemporary literary scene, a series of short commentaries and book reviews, and a final paper.

Pre-requisites: FREN 3032 and at least one other course above FREN 3040. Course conducted in French.

TR       11:00 am – 12:15 pm  (Blatt)

FREN 4585.001 – Global Paris:  the Complexity of Place

When Notre Dame burned, the world cried. When violent terrorist attacks brought Paris to its knees, the world watched helpless and aghast. In January 2015, merely days after the first attack, Parisians stunned us with their resilience, marching in the streets to defend their freedoms and way of life. Handmade signs proclaimed “We are not afraid!” and demonstrators raised pens and pencils skyward in a symbolic assertion of the power of free speech. In Charlottesville and across the United States, protestors did the same in a gesture of solidarity.

Mort pour rien. Dead for no reason. Today, in response to the senseless and racist killing of Georges Floyd, indignation echoes throughout France. French protestors brandish Black Lives Matter signs and cry out for racial justice, reigniting pent up fury over the 2016 killing of a black man, Adama Traoré, while in police custody in a suburb of Paris.

A crossroads for people from every imaginable background, Paris has always been a transnational city of immigrants, students, political exiles, formerly colonized peoples, artists, writers and people just trying to make a living. The principal theater of the French Revolution, it earned a reputation for insurrection and protest. The vibrant heart of artistic life and intellectual debate, Paris became the model of a19th-century city.

A global city, Paris is today so much more than the capital of France; it holds meaning the world over. A real city of grit and struggle, it is also symbolic of lofty and complex ideals.

How did Paris achieve such iconic status on the world stage? What myths and historical moments have defined it? Why did James Baldwin or Ernest Hemingway go there and what did they find? What might you hope to find there?

Together, we will explore maps, paintings and film that illustrate key features of the history, topography, architecture, and neighborhoods of Paris. We will discover the imagined city in art, literature and song. In particular, we will interrogate the “American dream” of Paris, Black Paris, its promises and mirages. By the end of this course, Paris will be a familiar place and you will have a good understanding of how the traces of the past remain inscribed on the modern urban landscape. You will be able “to read” the city, unlock its codes, and hopefully find personal enrichment there, even from a distance.

Prerequisite: FREN 3032 plus one additional course in French above FREN 3040.

MW 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (Horne)

FREN 4585.002 – Adv Topics Cultural Studies:  America and Americans in French Literature and Culture(18th-21st c.)

What is the French idea of un Américain, une Américaine? What notions, what feelings, what memories are associated in French minds with «l'Amérique», or «les USA»?    

Since the name America was first used in 1507 on a map printed in Saint-Dié (a small town in Lorraine), there has been a French fascination for everything American. That fascination, however, has always been ambivalent. The “Sister Republics” soon became competing systems, and with the decline of French power and influence in the world, French people came to resent American “surpuissance”. We will explore this love-hate relationship, by placing it in historical perspective. We will focus on French (mis)representations of America and the US, from the 18th century to our days, with a special emphasis on the most recent period.

Readings will include selections from books by major French novelists, poets, philosophers, or sociologists (such as Buffon, Chateaubriand, Tocqueville, Baudelaire, Beauvoir, Sartre, Baudrillard, Quignard, etc.), as well as depictions of America and the Americans by lesser known travel-writers, journalists and observers. We will also use visual material, ranging from engravings and paintings to caricatures and movies —not forgetting Tintin's adventures in America.

Given in French. Students will be expected 1) to engage in discussions on the readings; 2) to give a 15-20 minutes oral presentation on a topic of their choice in relation to the course material and topics; 3) to write 2 short reaction papers, and a mid-term; 4) to define a research topic and write a final paper (10-15 pages), due at the end of the semester.

MW 3:30 pm – 5:15 pm (Roger)

FREN 4811  – Francophone Literature of Africa

Non-Western Perspectives. 

This course is an introduction to the Francophone literature of Africa, a survey with special emphasis on the post-World War II poets, novelists, and playwrights of Africa. The role of cultural and literary reviews (Légitime Défense, L'Etudiant noir, and Présence Africaine) in the historical and ideological development of this literature will be examined. Special reference will be made to Caribbean writers of the Negritude movement. Documentary videos on African history and cultures will be shown and important audio recordings will be played from time to time. Supplementary texts will be assigned occasionally. Students will be expected to present occasional response papers.

FREN 3032 is a pre-requisite for all French undergraduate courses on a higher level.

TR 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm (Dramé)

FREN 5011 – Old French

Introduction to reading Old French, with consideration of its main dialects (Ile-de-France, Picard, Anglo-Norman) and paleographical issues. May be taken in conjunction with FREN 5510/8510 or independently. Weekly reading exercises, a transcription and translation exercise, and a final open-book exam. Prerequisite: good reading knowledge of modern French, Latin or another romance language. Taught in English.

M         1:00 pm – 1:50 pm (Ogden)

FREN 5510/8510  – Topics in Medieval Literature:  MEDIEVAL Saints’ Lives

African saints.  Trans saints.  Saints’ Lives as media.  Saints in material culture and literature and history.

Recent academic enthusiasm for medieval saints’ Lives has begun to uncover the usefulness of this genre for gaining deeper understanding of both medieval and modern attitudes toward a variety of topics, from sexuality and sentiments to materiality and foreign cultures.  Reading Lives written between 880 and the late thirteenth century, together with the work of some of the most engaging scholars in the field of hagiography studies, we will investigate a variety of issues that resonate with current interests in the broader fields of medieval and French studies.  Readings include the Lives of St. Mary the Egyptian (a courtesan turned hermit), St. Catherine of Alexandria (known for her wisdom), St. Alexis (who abandoned his family), St. Louis IX (king of France), St. Euphrosyne (a woman who became a male monk), and St. Moses the Ethiopian (a brigand turned abbot).

MW 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (Ogden)

FREN 5585.001/8585.001 – Topics in Civilization/Cultural Studies

This course will question nineteenth century archives in postcolonial francophone studies and their impact in writing cultural history. Colonialism destroyed cultural archives partly or completely. To understand the writing of cultural history in postcolonial contexts, it is urgent to have a better understanding of where the archives are and how we can explore them to write a decolonized cultural history. 

W         3:30 pm – 6:00 pm (Boutaghou)

FREN 5585.002/8585.002 – Topics in Civilization/Cultural Studies

The history of Literature is inseparable from the manifold efforts to limit, control, and repress writings which were (are) deemed subversive, deviant, or immoral. For most writers, playing with, around, or against religious, political, and moral censorships has been a necessary part of their art and trade to avoid jail, exile —or worse. This is, however, only one side of the coin. Another, no less important aspect of literary censorship is self-censorship. By self-censorship, I am not referring solely to personal decisions leading writers to tune down their works (or keep them for themselves). I am also referring to the many limitations imposed upon writing by the literary milieu itself, and its institutions. While self-censorship most often derives from the writer's desire to protect him/herself from harmful “consequences”, limitations placed upon writing by literary societies or institutions take various forms, and reflect diverse intentions. Traditionally, studies about censorship have been disconnected from studies about the esthetical rules and regulations prevailing in literary societies, such as the statements and rulings issued by Académies; the règles defining a literary genre; the check put on literary activities by normative critique; not forgetting the ukases issued by avant-garde groups.

In this course, we will look at the two faces of the coin by 1) historically revisiting the judicial forms of censorship (arrests, trials, etc.), and their impact upon literature; 2) examining in which ways, and to what extent the gens de lettres themselves established and enforced limitations, or taboos.

Last, but not least, we will try to examine and assert the creative, productive consequences of censorship and its constraints, in terms of literary innovation.   SCHEDULE AND DETAILS ON COLLAB

T          3:30 pm – 6:15 pm  (Roger)

FREN 7040 – Theories & Methods of Language Teaching

An introduction to pedagogical approaches currently practiced in second-language courses at the university level. Students will examine critically the theories behind various methodologies and the relation of those theories to their own teaching experience and goals. Assignments include readings and case studies on the teaching of French, development and critique of pedagogical materials, peer observation and analysis, and a portfolio project for collecting, sharing, and reflecting on teaching methods.

Required for all GTAs teaching French at UVa for the first time. Restricted to Graduate Teaching Assistants in French. 3 credits. Students will register for the graded (letter grade) option in the SIS. Graduate exchange instructors will take the course as auditors.

TR       2:00 PM – 3:15 PM (James)

FREN 5540/8540 Topics in 18th Century Literature –– Telling Stories in the Eighteenth Century

This course will provide an overview of eighteenth-century novels, with particular focus on the roman à tiroir (1001 Nuits), the epistolary novel (Lettres persanes), the conte philosophique (Candide), and the deconstructed plot of Jacques le Fataliste. The course will examine the experimental narrative techniques employed by 18th-century authors. We will see how this genre developed from Antiquity to the Spanish Golden Age, with a detour into the world of Middle-Eastern oral storytelling. Secondary readings will include theoretical approaches such as structuralism, reader reception, new developments in Orientalism, and the history of the book. We will also venture outside the literary field to consider some cognitive theories about why the mind feels the need to connect disparate events into a single thread.

R         3:30 pm – 6:00 pm (Tsien)

FREN 5581/8581 Topics/Seminar in African Literature/Culture

This course is a survey of 20th century Francophone literature of Africa. Colonial literature and Assimilation; Negritude, Nationalism and Identity; Postcolonial literature; Feminism; Literature and Censorship; Language and Literature; Theatre and ritual performance; and Oral literature as a major inter-text will all be examined through novels, poems, and plays by contemporary African writers in French. 

Oral presentations, response papers, and a final research paper are required.

W        3:30 pm – 6:00 pm (Dramé)

FREN 5584/8584 Topics/Seminar in Cinema

This seminar aims to introduce students to the rich history of French cinema, from its origins in the birth of photography and other proto-cinematic technologies in the nineteenth century, to the advent of digital cinema at the dawn of the twenty-first. Provides a broad overview of key movements and genres, as well as concurrent trends in film theory and criticism. Students will be invited to reflect closely on film form, and to consider each film in light of the socio-historical context within which it was produced. We will also spend time thinking about best practices to adopt when designing undergraduate (and even graduate) cinema seminars. May include, but is not limited to, works by Lumière, Méliès, Feuillade, Gance, Buñuel/Dalì, Vigo, Carné, Renoir, Godard, Marker, Truffaut, Varda, Resnais, Chabrol, Tavernier, Besson, Pialat, Ozon, Kechiche, Cantet, Audiard, Asseyas, Desplechin, Sciamma, and Jeunet. Course conducted mostly in French. Will work well as a synchronous zoom seminar, if necessary.

T          3:30 pm – 6:00 pm (Blatt)

FRTR 3814/WGS 3814 Gender & Sexuality in France

If you imagine the Middle Ages as a far-off land occupied by only “knights in shining armor and damsels in distress,” think again. This course will open your eyes to a far more complex conversation about sexuality and gender that resonates in surprising ways with contemporary views. We will read in tandem medieval religious writings, medical works, and conduct manuals that set the stage for distinguishing between men and women based on their biological and behavioral “predispositions” alongside works of fiction that challenged these official stances. Among our readings will be letters exchanged between one-time lovers, a church leader and abbess, that recount in real time their efforts to think through the different expectations placed on them as church figures. Poetry, romance, and travel narratives that treat the Christian West’s encounter with other religions, races, and ethnicities will further reveal the fault lines that destabilize rigid binary treatment of the sexes. The thirteenth-century romance of a young girl raised to adulthood as a boy will provide ample treatment of how our medieval counterparts struggled with the notion that “biology is destiny.” Finally, the work of the first feminist and professional writer of Europe, Christine de Pizan, who composed the first manifesto written by women in their defense, will help us fully appreciate the challenges faced then and now when breaking down gendered expectations. Through our reading of these fascinating works, it is hoped that students will acquire a thicker and more nuanced appreciation of the long history of gender, sexuality, and identity. Class discussions will introduce students both to medieval culture and to the basic tenets of gender theory. Graded work will include short critical engagement and creative responses to readings, class discussions and presentations, and written exams. There are no pre-requisites for this class. The second-writing requirement can be fulfilled with this course (requires instructor permission). Lectures and readings are in English.

No knowledge of French required

MW 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM (McGrady)

FREN 3030 Phonetics: The Sounds of French

FREN 3030 is an introductory course in French phonetics. It provides basic concepts in articulatory phonetics and phonological theory, and offers students techniques for improving their own pronunciation. The course will cover the physical characteristics of individual French sounds, the relationship between French sounds and their written representation (orthography), the rules governing the pronunciation of "standard French", the most salient phonological features of selected French varieties, phonetic differences between French and English sounds, and ‘la musique du français’, i.e., prosodic phenomena (le rythme, l’accent, l’intonation, la syllabation). Practical exercises in 'ear-training' (the perception of sounds) and 'phonetic transcription' (using IPA) are also essential components of this dynamic course. Taught in French.

Counts for major/minor credit in French and in Linguistics.  Prerequisite: FREN 2020 (or equivalent).

Taught in French 

Counts for major/minor credit in French and in Linguistics

TR  9:30 am – 10:45 am (Saunders)

FREN 3031 Finding Your Voice in French

This course offers an opportunity for students to explore and develop their own “voice” in written and spoken French. Through reading and viewing a variety of cultural artifacts in French, and completing a series of individual and collaborative creative projects, students will have a chance to develop their own potential for self-expression. They will develop greater confidence in their communicative skills, command of grammar, and ability to revise and edit their own work. The course is conducted entirely in French.

Prerequisite: Completion of FREN 2020 or 2320; exemption from FREN 2020 by the UVA (F-Cape) Placement Test; a score of 3 on the AP French Language Exam; or a score of at least 660 on the SAT exam. FREN 3031 is a prerequisite for nearly all undergraduate French courses at a higher level.

TR       11:00 am – 12:15 pm              (Lombart)
MW       2:00 pm –  3:15 pm               (Boutaghou)
MWF   10:00 am – 10:50 am              (James)
TR         2:00 pm –  3:15 pm               (Lombart)

FREN 3032 Text, Image, Culture

In this course, students will discover and engage critically with a broad sampling of French and Francophone cultural production representing a variety of periods, genres, approaches, and media.  Students will learn how to become more sensitive observers of French and Francophone culture, attuned to the nuances of content and form. They will read, watch, write about, and

discuss a range of works that may include poetry, painting, prose, music, theater, films, graphic novels, photographs, essays, and historical documents. They will also make significant progress in their oral and written comprehension and communication in French.  The course is conducted entirely in French.

Prerequisite: FREN 3031. FREN 3032 is a prerequisite for nearly all French undergraduate courses on a higher level.

MWF   9:00 am  -   9:50 am               (Geer)
TR       9:30 am – 10:45 am               (Ogden)
TR       2:00 pm -    3:15 pm              (Allen)
TR       12:30 pm -   1:45 pm              (Allen)

FREN 3034 Advanced Oral Expression in French

This course will allow students to learn and reflect on issues that are of concern to their French-speaking contemporaries.  It offers an excellent opportunity for students to practice their French speaking skills in a variety of communicative contexts.  Class resources will include French online newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. Discussion topics will be based largely on student-driven interests, but likely topics will include education, family life, the arts, immigration, Franco-American relations, and business culture.  Students will be graded on their engaged involvement in class discussions, their in-class presentations (individual and group), an audio and/or video contribution to a class web-journal, and a final oral exam. 

FREN 3034 is the only course on offer to emphasize, exclusively, the skill of speaking French (spontaneously and fluently)

 (Pre-requisite:  FREN 3031 and either completion of FREN 3032 or concurrent enrollment in FREN 3032).  This course is not intended for students who are native speakers of French or whose secondary education was in French schools.

TR       12:30 pm -   1:45 pm (Saunders)

FREN 3043 The French Speaking World III: Modernities –– Tradition et innovation: comment (se) transformer à travers le temps, l'espace et la culture?

Ce cours vous invite à réfléchir sur les questions essentielles qui se trouvent au cœur de toute entreprise humaine qui tente de créer une œuvre artistique et/ou intellectuelle: comment faire surgir le nouveau de l'ancien, l'originalité de l'imitation, le singulier du conformisme? Ainsi, nous explorerons la relation entre la tradition et l'innovation à travers les écrivains, les artistes et les penseurs modernes qui ont façonné leurs œuvres en dialogue explicit avec le passé et la voix des autres. Que pouvons-nous apprendre, par exemple, de l'écrivain franco-chinois Cheng qui, élu à l'Académie française, écrit en un français qui est traversé par la langue et la pensée chinoises?; ou de la philosophe belge Despret qui reprend la thèse cartésienne du 17ème siècle sur la supériorité des hommes sur les animaux et la resitue dans le contexte éthique, féministe et écologique de nos jours?; ou du musicien belgo-rwandais Stromae qui transpose en performance du 21ème siècle (vidéo/youtube et concert) la chanson de l'opéra de Bizet qui, à son tour, puise dans la nouvelle de Mérimée du 19ème siècle?

Prerequisite: FREN 3031 and FREN 3032

TR 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (Lyu)

FREN 3559  French for Global Development

Designed for students seeking to develop advanced linguistic skills in oral and written French and cultural competence in preparation for careers related to global development. Readings, discussions, and assignments revolve around case studies and simulated work-related situations drawn from real-life global development initiatives, with a focus on French-speaking west African countries. Topics will include economic development, community health, and education.

Pre-Requisite:  FREN 3031 (this course is not intended for students who are native speaker of French).

MWF   11:00 am – 11:50 am (James)

FREN 3570 Topics in Francophone African Studies –– African Literatures and Culture

This course will explore aspects of African literatures and cultures. It will focus on selected issues of special resonance in contemporary African life; oral literature and its impact on all other art forms; key issues in French colonial policy and its legacy in Africa: language, politics, and education. The course will examine the image of the postcolonial state and society as found in contemporary arts, paintings, sculpture, music, and cinema. Selections from painters and sculptors like Cheri Samba (Zaire), Iba NDiaye, Ousmane Sow (Senegal), Werewere Liking (Cameroun), including such popular icons as Mamy Wata and forms such as Souwere glass painting; from musicians like Youssou Ndour (Senegal), Cheb Khaled (Algeria), Seigneur Rochereau, Tshala Muana (Zaire), Salif Keita (Mali), and Cesaria Evora (Cape Verde); from

Mande, Peul, and Kabyle oral literature in French translation; from filmmakers D.D. Mambety, Moussa Sene Absa, and Ngangura Mweze. The final grade will be based on contributions to discussions, a mid-term, and 2 papers.

Prerequisite:  FREN 3031 and FREN 3032

MW     2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (Dramé)

FREN 3585.001 Topics in Cultural Studies –– Contemporary France and Social Movements

If your social media feeds intersect with those from France, it is very likely that, in recent years, you have repeatedly scrolled past images resembling a war zone. Who's fighting whom? And why are these violent confrontations taking place? One thing is for certain: a multi-layered crisis has motivated citizens to take to the streets. Spontaneous movements of resistance have emerged such as "Nuit Debout," "Gillets Jaunes," and various "ZAD." While the fires are still smoldering, and the clouds of tear gas are far from settled, police violence has already left an indelible mark in many people's lives and bodies.

In this course, we will open and examine the file of an increasing number of documents that have already been piling up. We will read essays, chronicles, pamphlets, and fiction, and we will watch movies and documentaries all offering an insider's look or taking stock of the situation. In a spirit of collaborative investigation, we will discuss what's happening today in France, and we will make connections with social justice movements in other parts of the world.

Prerequisite: FREN 3031 and FREN 3032

MW     3:30 pm – 4:45 pm (Simotas)

FREN 3585.002 Topics in Cultural Studies  ––   Women's Work: Women, Literature, and Society

Simone de Beauvoir famously wrote that, “On ne naît pas femme: on le devient.” What does it mean to be a woman? How do women define, defy, and redefine their place in society? This course considers French and Francophone women’s works of literature and film through the examination of the domestic sphere and conventions that have traditionally defined women’s places and roles. We will study autobiographical and fictional accounts of women's lives, conventions, transgressions (of gender, sexuality, language, morality, norms), and debates on/about women, women’s space, the feminine, the domestic, and feminism. Course texts will include essays, films, short stories, and novels from a variety of time periods and French and Francophone cultures. Students will participate actively in class discussion, collaborate on a group research presentation, write short reaction papers, a midterm and a final paper. Course conducted in French.

Prerequisite: FREN 3032

MWF   1:00 pm – 1:50 pm (Hall)

FREN 4580 Advanced Topics in Literature ––  Philosophes noirs/Black Philosophers in French

Since the 1950s, Black philosophers adopted an antiracist and anti-colonial perspective in French. They have questioned for decades aporias and blind spots of our past. Historically many of them are from the Caribbean. We will read together in French : Frantz Fanon, Aimé Césaire, Edouard Glissant, Patrick Chamoiseau and see how they first paved the thinking of race and colonialism. We will analyze their system in light of the debate about race in the US and in France. The course will be entirely conducted in French. 

Prerequisite: FREN 3032

MW     3:30 pm – 4:45 pm (Boutaghou)

FREN 4582 Avanced Topics in French Poetry –– Baudelaire et la modernité

Dans ce cours, nous lirons une sélection de textes de Baudelaire (Les Fleurs du mal, Les Petits poèmes en prose, Les Paradis artificiels, et les critiques d'art) pour apprécier l'ensemble de la production littéraire de l'un des poètes les plus célébrés dans la culture occidentale. Nous procèderons par des lectures et des analyses attentives pour examiner la sensibilité et l'esthétique baudelairiennes: le mal et l'éthique de la poésie, la structure et la déstructuration de la forme poétique, l’inspiration et la lucidité dans l'entreprise poétique. De façon plus générale, nous nous intéresserons à la nature et au pouvoir du langage poétique et réfléchirons sur la relation entre le langage poétique et le langage quotidiens ainsi que sur la fonction que peut avoir la poésie dans notre vie.

Pre-requisite:  Au moins un cours de littérature, culture, ou de cinéma au-delà de 3032.

TR       3:30 pm – 4:45 pm (Lyu)

FREN 4585.001 Advanced Topics in  Cultural Studies –– Getting Medieval on the Movies

Why isn’t Jamie Foxx cast as Robin Hood, or Zoe Saldana as Lancelot, or Michelle Yeoh as Merlin? When we’re dealing in myths, why do some ideas of “historical realism” seem to matter... and how sure are we that we know what medieval European society really looked like?  When we imagine the world of over a thousand years ago, why do 1950s (or even 21st-century) race and gender dynamics so often structure it?  Why does it matter how we retell important myths in popular culture anyway? 

Writers and artists of the Middle Ages often didn’t share our worries about historical accuracy in representation and gave us the lasting legacies of a white Jesus and a pink-cheeked Virgin Mary—even if regional alternatives in fact existed with various degrees of cultural (in)sensitivity. What legacies are we passing down to future generations in our retellings of stories about Robin Hood, the Holy Grail, and Lancelot’s illicit love for Guenevere?  Who benefits from perpetuating a singular image of the Middle Ages?  Is there a future for different ways of using these stories, as in the work of French rapper Black M or American artist S. Ross Browne? 

This class will look at such stories as told in medieval French texts (in modern French translation) and modern stage and screen adaptations, such as the 2012 musical “Robin des Bois” and classics like Rohmer’s 1964 Perceval.  For cultural contrast, we’ll also examine a few Anglo adaptations (like Monty Python and the Holy Grail / “Spamalot,” Black Knight, and the 2018 Robin Hood).  

No previous study of film required. 

TR       12:30 pm – 1:45 pm    (Ogden)

FREN 4585.002 Advanced Topics in Cultural Studies –– The Double

The theme of the double, known also as the Doppelgänger, has existed in the literature and in the  culture of many civilizations since antiquity.  This theme is often related to death and to the fear of a malevolent being who returns in the shape of someone who has not been properly buried.  French literature and film contain important examples of doubles, and the work of cultural anthropologist and literary critic René Girard has given renewed vigor to this concept.  This course will study doubles and doubling in some of the following novels, stories, plays, and films: Corneille, Le Menteur; Gautier, La Morte amoureuse; Green, Le Voyageur sur la terre; Grimonprez, Double Take; Kieslowski, La Double vie de Véronique; M.M. de Lafayette, Zayde, histoire espagnole; Molière, Amphytrion; Maupassant, Le Horla; Resnais, Hiroshima mon amour; Vigne, Le Retour de Martin Guerre.  For purposes of comparison, we may also consider Hoffmann, The Doppelgänger; Poe, William Wilson; Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde; Wilde, The Portrait of Dorian Gray.

Three papers, short quizzes, active participation in discussion, and an oral presentation.

TR       2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (Lyons)

FREN 4585.003 Advanced Topics in Cultural Studies –– Joan of Arc in History

Joan of Arc looms large in French cultural memory, but her status changes (often dramatically) according to place and time. According to who is telling her story, she can appear as warrior or victim, saint or heretic, trailblazer or follower, feminist or traditionalist, spiritually inspired or mentally unstable. No two accounts of Joan are alike. How are we to understand this diversity of opinion and the continued debate surrounding Joan’s story that places her among the top ten historical figures in world history most often treated by writers and artists? This course will examine Joan’s legendary status as it is developed in legal, artistic, historical, and religious works from medieval to modern times. Instead of seeking out the historical “truth” or artistic “faithfulness” of these accounts, we will examine how these works speak to their own cultural moment. To explore this issue, the first half of the semester will focus on contemporary writings that range from letters of Italian merchants, opinions of theologians, and poems of praise about Joan to multiple legal inquiries into her case, including the trial that culminated with her 1431 execution. Thereafter, we will explore key cultural moments when Joan’s story re-emerges in French society, beginning with the “epic failure” of early modern writers to make of her a heroic figure. We will then examine her troubled “life” as a national hero in post-Revolution France before closing with a study of her conflicting modern status as a saint (she was canonized in 1920), as a political mascot, and as an international feminist icon outside of France. Student work will include short essays, presentations on assigned topics, and for the most ambitious students, research projects that match their interests (possible research topics include legal history, medicine or theology; Joan’s depiction in painting, sculpture, cinema, theatre; her use in modern French politics or her role on the international stage).

Pre-requisite:  FREN 3032 and at least one additional course in French

MW     2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (McGrady)

FREN 4838 French Society & Civilization –– Contemporary France

Developing cultural literacy is an integral part of becoming an educated citizen of the world. The attainment of cultural literacy includes understanding social norms as well as politics and current events in a particular country. In France, cultural literacy is particularly valued in professional life, where the expectation is that you will be able to converse on a wide range of topics outside your field of specialization.

This course is designed to provide you with some tools for developing cultural literacy in the French context. Through an introduction to the politics, culture, and society of present-day France, you should come away from this class with a deeper understanding of social norms and institutional structures, as well as the ability to follow and understand French media coverage of events as they unfold in France. In your future travels in the US or abroad, you should feel comfortable discussing and debating social, political, and cultural issues and current events relating to France.

To achieve those goals, we will study the evolution of French society, politics, and culture from the end of the Second World War until the present. We will study major social problems facing contemporary France: the role of women, education, immigration, race, religion, public health as well as France's status in the European Union. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on readings from the French press, the televised news, and other visual sources.

Prerequisite: one 3000-level course beyond FREN 3032

TR 11:00 am – 12:15 pm (Horne)

FREN 3559  French for Diplomacy Direct from Lyon, France!

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FREN 3559 French for Diplomacy

(Direct from Lyon, France.)

Take this course as an opportunity to learn how you can transfer your French skills and knowledge of the Francophone culture to a professional context, should you decide to seek a job or an internship overseas, enter a career in foreign policy or get a job in international relations in the next future!

In this two-week intensive course, students learn about:

• major institutions in French diplomacy
• European and International organizations based in French-speaking countries
• main and historical positions of France on international issues

Students will also:

• be introduced to International Relations research in French
• practice job interviews 
• hone their oral and writing language skills for use in diplomatic structures
• learn the practical/cultural aspects of living and working in French. 

Throughout the course, we will use case studies to further our understanding of foreign relations of the Francophone world, invite guest speakers to contribute to our discussions, examine multiple audiovisual materials related to French diplomacy, and read new articles to add to our reflections.

Individual presentations, group project, and various writing/online assignments to be expected.

Pre-Requisite:  FREN 3032
Taught online
Instructor:  Lova Rajaonariosoa (lr2vpr@virginia.edu)

FREN 4585  Topics in Cultural Studies:  Currents of Change:  Artistic and Social Movements in 20th/21st Century France, Quebec, and the Carribbean

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FREN 4585  Topics in Cultural Studies:  Currents of Change:  Artistic and Social Movements in 20th/21st Century, Quebec, and the Carribbean

How does art challenge social conventions? How do we change social conventions through art?  In this project-focused course, students will delve into these questions through the examination of artistic and social movements of 20th/21st century France, Québec, and the Caribbean. As a whole class, we will discuss selected declarations on political, artistic, and social movements, including, among others, Manifeste du surréalisme, Le deuxième sexe, Éloge de la créolité and Défense et illustration de la langue québécoise. At the same time, students will work closely with the professor in groups or individually on a student-driven research project through which they will examine the historical and artistic context of a chosen aesthetic current, the conventions that it challenges and the social and cultural developments of the particular movement. Students will choose readings, assign discussion questions, and lead workshops on their chosen topics. Students are encouraged to use their previous experience, knowledge, and interests to determine the focus of their study. Possible concentrations could be Dadaism, Surrealism, the Absurd, Feminism, Négritude, Existentialism, Postmodernism, the Quiet Revolution, Créolité, or other aesthetic movements.

Taught online

Instructor:  Elizabeth Hall (ebh3f@virginia.edu)

FREN 2010 | INTEMEDIATE LEVEL I

Loren Lee

DAY & TIME
Monday, May 22 – Friday, June 17
MoTuWeThFr 9am – 12pm

FREN 2020 | INTEMEDIATE LEVEL II

Pascale Hapgood

DAY & TIME
Tuesday, June 20 – Friday, July 15
MoTuWeThFr 9am – 12pm

FRTR 2580 – French in Translation

Description coming

 TR      11:00 am – 12:15 pm (Staff)

CREO 1010-001  – Elementary Creole I

Development of basic oral expression, listening and reading comprehension, and writing.  Pre-requisite: No previous formal instruction of French or Creole is required.

MWF   3:30 pm – 4:30 pm   Dramé

CREO 2010-001  – Intermediate Creole I

Develops the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Creole. 

Enrollment Requirement:  Must have completed CREO 1020.

Pre-requisite: Two previous semesters of Elementary Creole (I and II).

MWF   1:40 pm – 2:35  pm    Dramé

FREN 3030 – Phonetics: The Sounds of French

FREN 3030 is an introductory course in French phonetics. It provides basic concepts in articulatory phonetics and phonological theory, and offers students techniques for improving their own pronunciation. The course will cover the physical characteristics of individual French sounds; the relationship between these sounds and their written representation (orthography); the rules governing the pronunciation of "standard French"; the most salient phonological features of selected French varieties; phonetic differences between French and English sounds; and to some extent, ‘la musique du français’, i.e., prosodic phenomena (le rythme, l’accent, l’intonation, la syllabation). Practical exercises in 'ear-training' (the perception of sounds) and 'phonetic transcription' (using IPA) are also essential components of this dynamic course.

Pre-requisite: FREN 2020 (or equivalent).  Course taught in French; counts for major/minor credit in French and Linguistics

TR       9:30 am – 10:45 am (Saunders)

FREN 3031 – Finding Your Voice in French

This course offers an opportunity for students to explore and develop their own “voice” in written and spoken French. Through reading and viewing a variety of cultural artifacts in French, and completing a series of individual and collaborative creative projects, students will have a chance to develop their own potential for self-expression. They will develop greater confidence in their communicative skills, command of grammar, and ability to revise and edit their own work. The course is conducted entirely in French.

Pre-requisite: Completion of FREN 2020 or 2320; exemption from FREN 2020 by the UVA (F-Cape) Placement Test; a score of 3 on the AP French Language Exam; or a score of at least 660 on the SAT exam. FREN 3031 is a Pre-requisite for all undergraduate French courses at a higher level.

MWF   10:00 am -10:50 am (Geer)
TR         3:30 pm – 4:45 pm (Staff)
MWF     1:00 pm – 1:50 pm (Hall)
MW        2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (Krueger) 

FREN 3032 – Image, Text, Culture

In this course, students will discover and engage critically with a broad sampling of French and Francophone cultural production representing a variety of periods, genres, approaches, and media.  Students will learn how to become more sensitive observers of French and Francophone culture, attuned to the nuances of content and form. They will read, watch, write about, and discuss a range of works that may include poetry, painting, prose, music, theater, films, graphic novels, photographs, essays, and historical documents. They will also make significant progress in their oral and written comprehension and communication in French.  The course is conducted entirely in French.

Pre-requisite: French 3031. FREN 3032 is a Pre-requisite for all French undergraduate courses on a higher level.

TR       9:30 am – 10:45 am (Boutaghou)
MW     3;30 pm – 4:45 pm (Lyu)
TR       2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (Ferguson)
TR       3:30 pm – 4:45 pm (Tsien) 

FREN 3034 – Advanced Oral Expression in French 

This course will allow students to learn and reflect on issues that are of concern to their French-speaking contemporaries.  It offers an excellent opportunity for students to practice their French speaking skills in a variety of communicative contexts.  Class resources will include French online newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. Discussion topics will be based largely on student-driven interests, but likely topics will include education, family life, the arts, immigration, Franco-American relations, and business culture.  Students will be graded on their engaged involvement in class discussions, their in-class presentations (individual and group), an audio and/or video contribution to a class web-journal, and a final oral exam. 

FREN 3034 is the only course on offer to emphasize, exclusively, the skill of speaking French (spontaneously and fluently)

 (Pre-requisite:  FREN 3031 and either completion of FREN 3032 or concurrent enrollment in FREN 3032).  This course is not intended for students who are native speakers of French or whose secondary education was in French schools.

TR       12:30 pm – 1:45 pm (Saunders) 

FREN 3035 –Business French 

In this course, students will learn general knowledge about the business world in France and the French-speaking world, and specifically concepts on organizational structures, the primary positions within those businesses and major industries. They will also gain experience in business research, will hone their oral and written French for use in a professional-setting, will have a practice job interview, and will learn the practical aspects of living and working in French.

At the end of the semester, students will have the possibility to take the Diplôme de Français des Affaires (B1) for a fee charged by the Chambre de Commerce et de l’Industrie de Paris.

Prerequisite: FREN 3031 and 3032  

TR       11:00 am – 12:15 pm (Staff) 

FREN 3036  – Introduction to Translation

Comment dit-on… ? Que veut dire… ? This course will provide a practical and theoretical introduction to methods of translation. We will translate literary and non-literary texts such as news articles, ads, songs, essays, poems, and short stories from French to English and from English to French. Classes will be in the form of workshops as we take on the role of the translator and collaborate on translation projects using different practices and methods of translation, all while undertaking a comparative review of French (and English!) grammar and analyzing various cultural topics.

**Students who have already taken FREN 4035 “Tools and Techniques of Translation” may not enroll in this course.

Pre-requisite: FREN 2020 or FREN 2320 or equivalent placement

MWF   10:00 AM – 10:50 AM (Hall) 

FREN 3041 – The French-Speaking World I 

Globalization.  Love and friendship.  Encounters with other cultures and peoples.  Separation of Church and State.  Bourgeois values.  Law and justice.  Where did these features of modern life come from and—more importantly—what other forms might they have taken or might they still evolve into?  It is said that history is written by the victors, but historical documents—literature, histories, prayer books, etc.—retain the evidence of alternate values as well as hints of (temporarily?) abandoned futures.  Can we escape our preconceptions of the past and uncover, in the documents, different histories?  Histories that offer alternative ways of thinking about modern institutions, assumptions, and inequities and about the stories that give them authority? 

Readings in the course will be in modern French translation, with occasional discussions of the original medieval and middle French if students are interested in the history of the language.  We’ll begin with the earliest narrative in French (ca. 880 C.E.) and continue up to about 1600, looking both at classic texts and little-known treasures.  Reading and writing assignments will be appropriate both for students coming directly from FREN 3032 and for more advanced students who want to hone their close reading and analytical/persuasive writing skills in French.

Pre-requisite:  FREN 3032

MWF   11:00  am – 12:15 pm (Geer) 

FREN 3042 – French-Speaking World II 

During the Classical Era, Louis XIV built Versailles, France colonized Canada and the Caribbean, philosophers dared to challenge the Catholic Church, and in the end, the Revolution changed France forever. In view of this tumultuous historical background, this course will provide an overview of the writings of this era, from the canonical works of Corneille, Molière, Voltaire, and Diderot to lesser-known but significant works.  We will pay particular attention to the idea of “nature” which radically changed meaning in this period.

TR       2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (Tsien)

FREN 3043 –The French-Speaking World III:  Great Books 

Rather than focus on any single theme, movement, motif, or overarching problematic, this seminar will examine a few of the most admired and influential novels in the history of modern and contemporary French literature. Special attention will be paid to the potential uses (but also, as some would put it, to the ultimate uselessness) of literature. How might reading fiction inform our understanding of the world and our place in it, if at all? Texts may include, but are certainly not limited to: Honoré de Balzac’s tale of a young law student’s drive to make it in the big city (Le Père Goriot, 1835); Gustave Flaubert’s portrait of the original desperate housewife (Madame Bovary, 1856); Alain Robbe-Grillet’s scandalously puzzling La Jalousie (1957); and/or Georges Perec's critique of consumer society in the 1960s.  We will end our semester with an "extremely contemporary" novel, or two, published within the last decade or two.

Required work may include: active participation in class discussion, regular response papers (1-2 pages), an oral presentation, and 2 longer papers (4-5 pages). Course conducted entirely in French.

Pre-requisite:  FREN 3032

TR       9:30 AM – 10:45 AM (Blatt) 

FREN 3559 – New Course –  Filmmaking in French :  An Introductory Workshop

This workshop, taught in French, introduces students to the basics of film as a visual and narrative medium. Students will master both theoretical and practical skills through writing, directing, shooting and editing their own film. Students will bring fresh materials and ideas, and workshop the script as in a “writers room” situation. A hands-on class, students will learn to use the camera, lighting, sound recording, and editing software.

Each student will have the chance to work on an individual project and contribute to the films of others as a crew member serving in a different role for each film: writing, directing, filming, acting, and editing. Throughout the semester we will watch clips that will serve as an inspiration to the creative process, while learning about editing styles and narrative structures. As such, in each class theoretical learning and practice will go hand-in-hand. By the end of the semester each student will have a 3 to 5mn short film.

Pre-requisite: FREN 3032

M         3:30 pm – 6:00 pm  (Mamadou Dia) 

FREN 3570 – Topics in Francophone – African Oral Traditions 

A Study of major texts from Oral Traditions in Africa. Historical and literary values of the narratives, poems, and songs today. Roles of Griots as creators and performers of Oral compositions. How the music of griots inspires and sustains contemporary popular musical forms across Africa today.The challenges facing Oral Traditions today and opportunities for the future in various African societies

Prerequisite:  FREN 3031 and FREN 3032

TR       3:30 pm – 4:45 pm (Dramé)

FREN 4560 – Advanced Topics in Nineteenth-Century Literature:  le Romantisme

Ce cours vous invite à explorer la triple quête – du moi, du bonheur, et de l’amour – dans laquelle s’engage la jeunesse romantique française de la première moitié du 19ème siècle où de nombreux facteurs culturels, sociaux, historiques, et politiques (y compris la tombée de Napoléon Ier) concourent à façonner une esthétique littéraire à la fois complexe et contradictoire. A travers une lecture approfondie de poèmes, nouvelle, roman, traité/ manifeste, nous examinerons la sensibilité, la passion, et la révolte qui animent les héros et les héroïnes romantiques pour interroger comment ils conçoivent le moi, vivent l’amour, et poursuivent le bonheur. Nous nous intéresserons à la manière dont le genre et la différence sexuelle se construisent dans l’univers romantique ainsi qu’à la manière dont le romantisme se libère du classicisme et prépare la modernité. Tout au long du semestre, nous essayerons de dégager la pertinence de la pensée et de l’expérience romantiques du passé pour notre époque contemporaine qui et tout aussi préoccupée par le moi (ou son image), le bonheur (ou le succès), et bien sûr, l’amour.

Cours requis :  Un cours sur la littérature, la culture, ou le cinéma français au-delà de FREN 3032 (ou l’accord de la professeure).

MW     2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (Lyu) 

FREN 4585.001 – Adv Topics Cultural Studies: The City of Paris:  Stories of a Living Legend

This course will explore Paris, both as a contemporary metropolis and a multilayered palimpsest of history, legends and myths. A global city, Paris is today so much more than the capital of France; it holds meaning the world over. A real city of grit and struggle, it is also synonym of joie de vivre, as well as symbolic of lofty ideals. The principal theater of the French Revolution, it earned a reputation for insurrection and protest. A hotbed of artistic life and intellectual debate, it has been, and still is, a magnet for talent, ambition, and dissent. How did Paris achieve such iconic status on the world stage? What myths and historical moments have defined it? Together, we will explore maps, paintings, and films that illustrate key features of the history, topography, architecture, and neighborhoods of Paris. We will discover the imagined city in art, literature and song. We will also interrogate the “American dream” of Paris, as lived by Ernest Hemingway or James Baldwin. By the end of this course, Paris will be a familiar place. You will be able “to read” the city, unlock its codes —become a Parisian, even from a distance. 

Pre-requisite: FREN 3032 plus one additional 3000-level course in French.

MW 3:30 pm – 5:15 pm (Roger) 

FREN 4585.002 – Adv Topics Cultural Studies: Love, Sex, Marriage, and Friendship in Renaissance France 

If passions and emotions are part of human nature, the forms they take and the ways in which they are and can be expressed vary greatly over time and between cultures. How were love, sex, marriage, and friendship understood and lived in sixteenth-century France – in each case between members of the opposite sex and the same sex? How did they evolve in this pivotal period of transition between the Middle Ages and the modern world? How were they inflected by intellectual, social and cultural movements such as the Reformation, Humanism, developing notions of the individual, and ongoing debates about the nature of women? Through the study of a combination of contemporary texts and modern films, we will explore a fascinating culture, at once similar to and different from our own – one whose stories (like that of Romeo and Juliet) still speak to us today and with whose legacy we live and continue to grapple.

Prerequisite:  At least one literature or culture course beyond FREN 3032. May be taken for elective credit for WGS.

TR       3:30 pm – 4:45 pm (Ferguson) 

FREN 4744 – Occupation and After 

While in 2014 the French spent a year commemorating the centenary of the start of the “Great War” (“la Der des Ders,” the so called “war to end all wars”), in the summer of 2015 the nation marked another important anniversary: namely, seventy years since the Liberation of Paris during World War II.  The German occupation of France, which lasted from 1940 until 1945, was one of the most consequential periods in the nation’s history, one that left an indelible mark on the French national psyche that continues to rouse the country’s collective memory to this day. After an initial examination of the political and social conditions in France under the Nazi regime, this seminar proposes to explore the enduring legacy of those “Dark Years” by investigating how the complex (and traumatic) history of the Occupation has impacted French culture during the last half of the twentieth century and into the twenty first. Discussions will focus on a variety of documentary and artistic sources—novels and films, mostly, though we will also explore photographs and graphic novels—that attest to what historians refer to as contemporary France’s collective “obsession” with the past.

Readings and films may include (but are not limited to) work by Némirovsky, Vercors, Perec, Duras, Modiano, Salvayre, Daeninckx, Claudel, Sartre, Clouzot, Melville, Resnais, Ophüls, Berri, Malle, Chabrol, and Audiard.  Course conducted in French.

Pre-requisite:  FREN 3032 and another FREN course beyond FREN 3034 

TR       11:00 am – 12:15 pm (Blatt) 

FREN 4811 – Francophone Literature of Africa 

Introduction to the Francophone literature of Africa; survey, with special emphasis on post- World War II poets, novelists, and playwrights of Africa. The role of cultural and literary reviews (Légitime Défense, L'Etudiant noir, and Présence Africaine) in the historical and ideological development of this literature will be examined. Special reference will be made to Caribbean writers of the Negritude movement. Documentary videos on African history and cultures will be shown and important audio-tapes will also be played regularly. Supplementary texts will be assigned occasionally. Students will be expected to present response papers on a regular basis. 
 
In addition to the required reading material, 2 essays (60%), regular class attendance, and contribution to discussions (10%), and a final exam (30%) constitute the course requirements. Papers are due on the dates indicated on the syllabus. 

Pre-requisite:  FREN 3032 and at least one FREN course numbered FREN 3041 or FREN 3043 (or instructor permission) 

FREN 4838 – French Society and Civilization 

Developing cultural literacy is an integral part of becoming an educated citizen of the world. The attainment of cultural literacy includes understanding social norms as well as politics and current events in a particular country. In France, cultural literacy is particularly valued in professional life, where the expectation is that you will be able to converse on a wide range of topics outside your field of specialization.

This course is designed to provide you with some tools for developing cultural literacy in the French context. Through an introduction to the politics, culture, and society of present-day France, you should come away from this class with a deeper understanding of social norms and institutional structures, as well as the ability to follow and understand French media coverage of events as they unfold in France. In your future travels in the US or abroad, you should feel comfortable discussing and debating social, political, and cultural issues and current events relating to France.

To achieve those goals, we will study the evolution of French society, politics, and culture from the end of the Second World War until the present. We will study major social problems facing contemporary France: the role of women, education, immigration, race, religion, public health as well as France's status in the European Union. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on readings from the French press, the televised news, and other visual sources.

Prerequisite: successful completion of at least one 3000-level course in literature or cultural studies beyond 3032.

TR       2:00 pm – 3:15 pm (Horne)

FREN 5510/8510  – Topics in Medieval Literature:  Race/Gender/Class in Late Medieval Francophone Literature

This course will challenge the contemporary perception that medieval Europe was an all-white privileged masculine space by turning to creative works of the late medieval francophone world in which racialized, gendered and classed bodies take shape. This course will draw on exile and war poetry, popular theatre, romances of conquest, history writing and travel literature to investigate the role of power and privilege in the formation of premodern identity, the politics of othering, and the question of subaltern agency in late medieval society. Contemporary critical identity studies will be used to deepen our understanding of medieval culture at the same time that our medieval material will be mined for the new insights it brings to this criticism. 

R         3:30 pm – 6:00 pm (McGrady)

FREN 5560/8560 – Topics in Nineteenth Centurey Literature:  Reading with Emma Bovary

In the 1857 obscenity trial against Madame Bovary, prosecutor Ernest Pinard argued that the book would corrupt the hearts and minds of its readers, particularly young marriageable women  (jeunes filles) and wives. Dangerous fiction is a dominant theme in the work itself. When Emma Bovary shows symptoms of “vaporous airs,” her husband and mother-in-law decide she must stop reading novels. This course focuses on Emma Bovary’s reading habits, and on what they say about Flaubert’s aesthetic project; the social and medical discourses that Madame Bovary reflects and reinforces; and the education of women. What did Emma Bovary read, how did she read it, and how have critics in the 19th-21st centuries read her reading?

• Open to graduate students with reading knowledge of French
• Course conducted in French and English (depending on students’ background)
• Written work in French (for French MA or PhD students), and English
• Most readings in French

M 3:30 – 6:00 pm (Krueger)

FREN 5585/8585 – Topics in Civilization/Cultural Studies:  Theater in France (17-20th c)

Theater, Beaumarchais wrote at the end of the 18th century, « is a giant whose blows are lethal ». He should have known, being the author of The Marriage of Figaro, a play held responsible for the fall of the Bastille by many of his contemporaries. This course will explore the disturbing powers of theater, from the Classical Age to our days. An ill-famed entertainment in the eyes of the Church, it has often been regarded as the most prestigious achievement within the Republic of Letters. Strategically situated at the crossroads of literature and the performing arts, it has maintained a constant dialogue with the visual arts, from painting to cinema and, more recently, multimedia productions. For centuries, theater has been both a laboratory of artistic innovation, and a political agora, a hothouse of new ideas and provocative agendas. In sum, we will explore theater as a mirror of French artistic, intellectual and political life, with a special emphasis on the querelles and scandales that shook France, as well as the stage, from the « Cid Quarrel» to Genet's Les Paravents and Koltès' Roberto Zucco.

T          3:30 pm – 6:15 pm (Roger)

FREN 7040 – Theories & Methods of Language Teaching

An introduction to pedagogical approaches currently practiced in second-language courses at the university level. Students will examine critically the theories behind various methodologies and the relation of those theories to their own teaching experience and goals. Assignments include readings and case studies on the teaching of French, development and critique of pedagogical materials, peer observation and analysis, and a portfolio project for collecting, sharing, and reflecting on teaching methods.

Required for all GTAs teaching French at UVa for the first time. Restricted to Graduate Teaching Assistants in French. 3 credits. Students will register for the graded (letter grade) option in the SIS. Graduate exchange instructors will take the course as auditors.

TR       2:00 PM – 3:15 PM (James)

FREN 3559 | FRENCH FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Lova Rajaonarisoa

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