- Revolution & Inequality in the French Atlantic World

Catalog description

An exploration of post-revolutionary francophone literature from France, Haiti, and the United States. The 19th century was ushered in by a series of revolutions that sought to reorganize the world along more just lines and enact democratic principles of liberty and equality. In this class, students will read writers who were inspired by the ambitions of these revolutions but also grappled with their broken promises, particularly in the form of ongoing social, racial, and gender inequality. Students will explore how storytelling in many genres allowed these writers to shed light on their societies’ contradictions, garner sympathy for those who suffered, and rally people to continue to advocate for justice.