Any official University or College policy, official date, or other important information over which the Department has no control is cited for the convenience of the student only. Please refer to the University Bulletin, the Student Handbook, the Schedule of Classes, or other appropriate University publications for official confirmation of same.
INSTRUCTOR: Charles J. Stivale (Romance
Langs & Lits), 361 Manoogian, 577-0970:
C_Stivale@wayne.edu
The General Education Foreign Culture Requirement
The course which this syllabus describes is part of the WSU General Education Program and it satisfies the Foreign Culture (FC) requirement: A significant measure of a college education is the degree to which individual cultural assumptions can be placed in the context of a wider and more diversified world view. Such understanding leads to greater appreciation for the life style and artifacts of different peoples and a tolerance for opinions originating from disparate traditions by helping minimize narrow certainties and dispel provincial attitudes.
Course Overview:
The proposed topic of FRE 2720, "The Contemporary French,"
is "Why Are The French So …?" The participants
will study issues of cultural difference and similarity, with
the goal of helping students to comprehend the multifaceted love-hate
relationship between the American and French cultures. One recent
example of this subject's currency must suffice, drawn from the
13 October, 2003, issue of The New Yorker. Commenting on Laura
Bush's recent visit to France, Adam Gopnik writes: "The real
question isn't why the French are they way they are but, rather,
why so many other people are now like the French." This statement
is paradoxical not only because, in the new era of Freedom Fries,
Americans generally do not think anyone could (or should) be French-like,
least of all Americans, but also because the French judge themselves
as constituting the global cultural exception, thus unlike anyone
else at all.
Yet, since the start of the American experience in the eighteenth century, our country has maintained its distinction from France while also embracing its many fashions, cultural achievements, and modes of thought, and of course, vice versa! By drawing from recent books, articles, films, and music that emphasize these cultural differences and similarities, the Seminar will develop the students' awareness of a Franco-American tug of war between attraction and repulsion as a means to develop their skills in critical thinking, reading, and oral and written expression.
Goals and Objectives of the Course:
As this course fulfills the General Education Foreign Culture
requirement, its goals are multiple:
-- Opportunities for thinking, reading,
and expression: The ready availability of a rich and accessible
spectrum of books (e.g. Nadeau and Barlow's Sixty Million Frenchmen
Can't Be Wrong, 2003) as well as recent articles offers an array
of textual material for students' reflection, discussion, and
written assignments on issues of cultural distinction, difference
and similarity. Students will also be expected to express themselves
orally, in short written essays, on Listserv strings generated
by course topics, and with a course log to be reviewed by the
instructor at intervals throughout the semester.
-- Pursuit of scholarly inquiry: Course assignments will include
three written tasks of varying lengths including a final project
or a take-home examination on topics of comparative cultural analysis
chosen by the student in consultation with the instructor.
-- Use of campus and city resources: Francophone topics will be
addressed by possible guest lectures, two guest concerts by the
Cajun folklorist and singer Marce Lacouture (Feb 26-27, 2004).
Other city opportunities include films assignments (at the Detroit
Film Theater, as noted on the Semester Projects Guidelines).
-- Exploit on-line resources: As indicated above, the course includes
a Web component via Blackboard to make materials available, allow
students to discuss topics via threaded discussion, and to remain
in contact with the course instructor.
-- Employ support services: In pursuit of the aforementioned goals,
especially those of writing and expression, all students are strongly
encouraged to visit the Academic Success Center and Writing Center
(2100 Adamany Library).
Texts and Materials:
Required: Camus, Albert. The Plague. New York: Vintage, reissue
1991.
Nadeau, Jean-Benoît, and Julie Barlow. Sixty-Million Frenchmen
Can't Be Wrong. New York: Sourcebook Trade, 2003.
Additional handouts distributed in class, on library reserve,
or via Blackboard access.
"Documents" on the WEB:
In this course, we will utilize the pedagogical Web platform,
"Blackboard," accessible at http://www. blackboard.wayne.edu
(or linked to the WSU Pipeline). You will find there the following
tools:
Under the Welcome Page, special announcements may appear at varying
intervals.
Under Course Information, this course outline will appear (available
also in paper format in class at the start of the semester).
Under Staff Information, information on Prof. Stivale's office
hours, contact data, etc.
Under Course Documents, various texts (when available online)
to be linked for downloading.
Under "Assignments," three documents:
a) The Detailed Course Program, i.e. the particular assignments
to prepare for each class;
b) The Guide for Semester Projects, i.e. a detailed explanation
of the projects required throughout the semester;
c) The Response Assignment Guidelines, i.e. detailed information
about completing the Response Assignments plus the schedule for
these assignments.
Under Communication, several useful facilities: 1) an Email location
for easy email access; 2) the Discussion Board where you will
post discussion comments and responses as indicated on the supplementary
Response Assignment Guidelines; 3) a Virtual Chat facility for
class members to work online together, in pairs or small groups,
from different locations; 4) Group Pages for virtual chat, file
exchange, and email within individual Response Groups (not for
posting Responses).
Under External Links, links to Stivale's "Contemporary French
and Cultural Studies" Web page and to other links to help
find French news and culture information.
Under "Tools," several useful facilities: 1) A Digital
Drop Box (available in a few weeks) where you can submit your
written assignments (French Watch Log + Projects; please note:
you can do so also by email + attachment to C_Stivale@wayne.edu);
2) Personal Information, i.e. information about yourself that
you can limit or expand based on your desire for privacy; 3) a
course Calendar with a class-by-class overview; 4) Check Grade
facility, where you can verify your grades over the course of
the semester.
An Assessment facility will be available shortly where you will
take quizzes in advance of specifically designated class assignments,
as well as following the class sessions should you have missed
the initial pre-class quiz (or wish to improve your grade).
Assessment of Learning and Grading Policy:
The grading policy and assessment of learning are organized as
follows:
a. Participation (in class, attendance, online, French Watch log)
= 25%
b. Projects 1-2-3 = 10% each = 30%
c. Quizzes (10) = 10%
d. Final French Watch log = 10%
e. Final project/Take Home Exam = 25%
The take-home examination will be distributed on the last day of class (April 22). It or the final project (depending on the student's choice) will be due on Thursday, April 29, noon, 487 Manoogian (or via email).
See below for specific details on each of these aspects of the Assessment of Learning:
a. Participation (in class, online, attendance):
a-1. In class: A significant part of the final grade corresponds to the level of continuous preparation and participation in class, as well as regular class attendance. Students are expected to prepare carefully each assignment before coming to class. The Quizzes and Threaded Discussion Responses will also require careful preparation.
a-2. Policy on attendance: It is expected that each student will be present at every class, will arrive on time, and will be present until the end of each class period. A maximum of four absences will be permitted for the entire semester (no questions asked), but only two per seven-week section of the course. In other words, if you miss three classes before March 1, one is unexcused; if you miss no more classes subsequently, then all absences are excused. Beyond these two absences, further absences will directly affect the final participation grade. Excused absences are those due to illness (with medical statement) or a death in the family. Absences due to the demands of a full- or part-time job are not excused absences, nor are absences due to car trouble, or conflicts with other courses (especially those preceding or following our class periods). After the fourth absence, each succeeding unexcused absence will incur 1% deduction from the final grade.
PRACTICAL ADVICE: If you can foresee an inevitable absence, please consult with Prof. Stivale before the absence. Although this consultation does not in itself constitute an excused absence, it helps provide a better understanding of extenuating circumstances.
a-3. Online Participation: Students will be required to post to the course's Threaded Discussions as indicated on the Detailed Course Program and the Response Assignment Guidelines.
a-4. French Watch log: As part of an ongoing assignment to be turned in at the end of the semester for a separate overall grade, the participants will turn in their ongoing preparation of a French Watch log. This log will consist of an ongoing diary, preferably kept electronically (a Web Log online, or simply as a continuing document file). Each student will begin by surveying ongoing stories in the French news through online links, and then will follow at least two such stories in detail throughout the semester, commenting on these on a regular intervals (e.g. every 2-3 days) in order to complete the commentaries for the final French Watch log (see explanation below). Students will submit the current version of the French Watch Log on (or immediately before) each Work Day as indicated on the syllabus.
b. Projects (3):
Instead of taking a series of exams, the course participants will
prepare successive and punctual projects on a subject of their
choice (approved in advance by Prof. Stivale), or from a list
of possible subjects provided by Prof. Stivale. Refer to the Semester
Projects Guidelines for more details and possible subject choices.
Please note that late submission of written work risks reducing
the overall grade for the assignments, i.e. the loss of one letter
grade per day late.
c. Quizzes:
To take a Quiz for a particular class for which an online Quiz
has been prepared (including the Sample Quiz that corresponds
to chapter 1, week 1/day 2 [1.2]), each student will access the
Blackboard platform. The Quizes are designated as follows:
For a given class, e.g. 2.1 (week 2/day 1, the first real Quiz
1), each student will take Quiz 2.1-A in advance of the course
meeting, i..e. by 11 AM on the day of class. Please note that
questions for the Quiz A (usually true/false and/or matchings)
will be taken from the text of the chapter(s) in Nadeau/Barlow
(or other texts) designated for that day's readings.
After the class meeting, each student will have a chance to take
another quiz, e.g. 2.1-B, either to receive a quiz grade for the
day (if you missed the time-limit for taking the Quiz A before
the class), or to receive a better grade (if you already took
the Quiz A and did not like your grade). The Quiz B will be available
for approximately 16 hours after the end of the corresponding
class period (e.g. 1:30 PM to 6 AM the next day). The questions
for the Quiz B will be taken from Nadeau/Barlow or other readings
required for the class, and will be in short essay question format.
Please note that whereas the grades for the Quiz A sections will
be immediately available via Blackboard automatic grading once
the quiz is graded, the Quiz B sections require individual grading
of the essay questions by Prof. Stivale, and the grades will be
available only in the next class period.
The average of all quizzes taken (for the final grade) will be
based on the ten best grades received, either on the Quizes A
or on the Quizes B.
d. French Watch Log: As noted above under participation, you will be graded under Participation for the regular development of the French Watch Log, and will receive a final, cumulative grade for the Log at the end of the semester, due on the final day of class (or by noon Monday thereafter at latest). Sources for your Log can include verifiable print accounts in the press and magazines, television and radio reports (accurately recorded in the Log), and online daily reports. Simply cutting-and-pasting reports from Web sources into your Log will not suffice as constituting a person Log.
e. Final Project/Take-Home Exam
e-1. Final Project
This Final Project, that students may choose to undertake, will
be due during Finals Week, April 29, noon. The project will correspond
to a topic of interest that the student has developed while reading
Nadeau/Barlow and other materials, and while completing the individual
projects earlier in the semester. The project must be typed/word-processed,
well-organized, in legible and standard English, and should be
8-10 pages in length with appropriate bibliography and attribution
of sources.
e-2. Take-home Final:
Rather than prepare a Final Project, students may opt to respond
to a group of essay questions that correspond to different topics
we will have discussed during the course of the semester, and
will be due during Finals Week, April 29, noon. The answers may
require additional research on the students' part. The take-home
must be typed/word-processed, well-organized, in legible and standard
English, and should be 8-10 pages in length with appropriate bibliography
and attribution of sources.
The Department presumes the existence of an Honor System at all times. Your name or signature on exams, logs and project assignments implies that the work is yours alone.
Obligations of Students to the Instructional Process: All students are expected to be familiar with the University statement on responsibilities found in the University Bulletin and in the Student Handbook. Any problem that may arise should be discussed immediately and first of all with the current instructor. If a resolution is not reached, the problem may be referred to Prof Stivale (ad4928@wayne.edu).
Class Schedule [See attached Detailed Course Program for specifics
on assignments; *** = Quiz day]
Week 1: January 13, Tu Introduction
January 15, Th [*** Sample] Chapter 1, Nadeau/Barlow, "Aborigines"
Week 2: January 20, Tu *** Chapters 2-3, Nadeau/Barlow, "Land"/"Private
Spaces"
January 22, Th *** Chapters 4-5, Nadeau/Barlow, "Grandeur"/"Eloquence"
Week 3: January 27, Tu *** Chapters 6-7, Nadeau/Barlow, "Bitter-End-Ism"/
WW II
January 29, Th *** Chapter 8, Nadeau/Barlow, Algeria
Week 4: February 3, Tu *** Chapters 9-10-11, Nadeau/Barlow, "Absolutism"/"State"/
"Towns"
February 5, Th Work day, French Watch Log I due
February 6, F, noon Project 1 due (487 Manoogian or via email)
Week 5: February 10, Tu *** Chapters 12, Nadeau/Barlow, "Strong
Language"
February 12, Th *** Chapter 13-14, Nadeau/Barlow, "Elite
Education"/"Enarchy"
Week 6: February 17, Tu *** Chapter 15, Nadeau/Barlow, "Name
of the Law"
February 19, Th Francophone readings 1 - Québec
Week 7: February 24, Tu Francophone readings 2 - Cajun Louisiana
February 26, Th Attend Marce Lacouture performance, 3:00 PM, Romanian
Room and
February 27, F Attend Marce Lacouture performance, 11:45 AM, Schaver
Music Recital Hall, Old Main
Week 8: March 2, Tu *** Chapters 16-17, Nadeau/Barlow, "Civil
Society"/"Protest"
March 4, Th Work day, French Watch Log II due
March 5, F, noon Project 2 due (487 Manoogian or via email)
Week 9: March 9, Tu *** Chapters 18-19, Nadeau/Barlow, "Wealth"/"Intervention"
March 11, Th Film, "The Dinner Game" (required viewing
in class or FLTC)
March 15-19 Spring Break
Week 10: March 23, Tu Chapter 20, Nadeau/Barlow,
"World According to France"
March 25, Th Film, "Hate" (required viewing in class
or FLTC)
Week 11: March 30, Tu *** Chapter 21, Nadeau/Barlow, "French
Melting Pot"
April 1, Th Film, "Salut, Cousin!" (required viewing
in class or FLTC)
Week 12: April 6, Tu *** Chapter 22-23, Nadeau/Barlow, "Checks/Balances"/"Europe"
April 8, Th Work Day, French Watch III due
April 9, F, noon Project 3 due (487 Manoogian or via email)
Week 13: April 13, Tu Film, "The Plague" (required viewing
in class or FLTC)
April 15, Th Camus, The Plague, Parts One-Two
Week 14: April 20, Tu Camus, The Plague, Parts Three-Four
April 22, Th Camus, The Plague, Part V, Conclusion, distribution
of take-home examination, French Watch Log due (noon, April 26
latest)
Final project or Take-home Exam due April
29, noon, 487 Manoogian