Paris hors les murs

This course represents an immersive exploration of Paris. Discussions will be organized around a number of themes covering modern and contemporary visions of the city. After a brief presentation of the history and the geography of the city, we will study the myths of Paris (the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame); various short writings (Baudelaire, Hugo, Barthes); the rise of the suburbs (La Haine, Les Misérables); current challenges (the climate, COVID-19). We will visit the city through newspaper articles, films videos, podcasts and museums. Three papers during the semester including your personal "mythology" of Paris as a concluding project for the course.