A Window onto Contemporary French Society
Intermediate subject designed to help students gradually build an in-depth understanding of France. Focuses on French attitudes and values regarding education, work, family, and institutions. Deals with the differing notions that underlie interpersonal interactions and communication styles, such as politeness, friendship, and formality. Using a Web comparative, cross-cultural approach, students explore a variety of French and American materials, then analyze and compare using questionnaires, opinion polls, news reports (in different media), as well as a variety of historical, anthropological and literary texts. Students involved in team research projects. Attention given to the development of relevant linguistics skills. Recommended for students planning to study and work in France. Taught in French.
Fall 2011 · Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Contemporary French Society
This course is an intermediate subject designed to help students gradually build an in-depth understanding of France. The course focuses on French attitudes and values regarding education, work, family and institutions, and deals with the differing notions that underlie interpersonal interactions and communication styles, such as politeness, friendship and formality. Using a Web comparative, cross-cultural approach, students explore a variety of French and American materials, then analyze and compare them using questionnaires, opinion polls, news reports (in different media), as well as a variety of historical, anthropological and literary texts. Throughout the course, attention is given to the development of relevant linguistics skills. This course is recommended for students planning to study and work in France and is taught in French.
Readings
- Wylie, Laurence, and Jean-Francois Brière. Les Français . 3rd ed. Prentice Hall, 2000. ISBN: 9780130307743.
- Handout passed out in class: LES SYMBOLES, IMAGES ET NOMS. For the content in the handout, please see: Meyer, D. Icônes culturelles. From “Clés pour la France en 80 icônes culturelles.” Paris, Hachette, 2010."
- Carroll, Raymonde. Évidences Invisibles: Américains et Français au quotidien . Seuil, 1987, pp. 67–89. ISBN: 9782020096379.
- “Tarifs pour l’année 2011-2012.” Notre-Dame des Oiseaux, 2011.
- Philibert, Nicolas. Etre et Avoir/ To Be and to Have . Film documentaire, 2002.
- Cantet, Laurent. Entre les murs/The class. Palme d’or au festival de Cannes, 2008.
- “Productivité: les Etats-Unis et la France sont en tête et creusent l’écart.” AFP, 20 septembre 2011.
- Fourquet, J. et F. Dabi. “Les Français et l’interdiction du droit de grève lors des départs en vacances.” IFOP avec Dimanche Ouest-France, 2011.
- Fourquet, J. “Barométre Jeunesse: Vague 3.” IFOP, 2011.
- “Simone Weil au sujet de la parité homme-femme.” Video. Polémiques , 10 mars 1996.
- “Les femmes dans le management.” Video. 13 heures le journal , 16 octobre 2009.
- “Affaire DSK : justice américaine, mode d’emploi.” Le Post , 18 mai, 2011.
- Gladel, C. “France—États-Unis: choc de culture et civilisation.” Martin , 17 mai, 2011.
Prerequisites & course information
Prereq: 21G.304 or permission of instructor U (Spring) Not offered regularly; consult department 3-0-9 units. HASS-H
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027
- MIT OpenCourseWare ↗Fall 2011
- MIT OCW readings ↗
- MIT OCW syllabus ↗
- Historical MIT OpenCourseWare offering. Named reading entries and schedule topics are automatically extracted from the linked source pages.