France and the French-speaking World

Catalog description

An introduction to the culture of France and its impact on the world. FR 139 France and the French Speaking World (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. By studying the artistic, social and intellectual components of the French cultural ethos, the undergraduate student will develop an appreciation of a major Western European humanistic tradition and its impact and adaptation on several continents. The notion of a national culture, which has become an international phenomenon integrates a broad spectrum of subject areas in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. The elements to be articulated embrace: socioeconomic, linguistic, and demographic profiles, social stereotypes (internal, external, and colonial), social structures (family, gender, childhood/old age), and selected "high" and "popular" cultural themes (cuisine, architecture, dress, painting, social philosophy). Using today's metropolitan French culture as a point of departure, and its historical legacy, the course will explore the consequences of French cultural hegemony in various French-speaking areas (Belgium, Switzerland, North and West Africa, North America, Maghreb-Middle East, Orient). In brief, the course introduces Penn State students to the dynamics of cultural pluralism, a crucial acquisition in today's "global village."