Syllabus
Course title :
French Culture and Society
Teachinglanguage :
English
Teacher in charge of the course:
Agnes Debacker, Universite Catholique de Lille
Specialist lecturers:
Grant Douglas, M. Phil, Intercultural Studies, UniversiteCatholique de Lille
Gregory Vroman, Universite Catholique de Lille
1 ) COURSE PRESENTATION
COURSE OBJECTIVE
About French Culture, at the end of the course, the students should be capable of
determining important aspects in French cultural life, studying examples in the domains of
fine arts, music, architecture, literature, movies, fashion, food and cuisine. The course
shows and illustrates examples from various decades which were and are important,
permitting France to influence world culture in many domains. The course will also describe
the main characteristics of French society (education, family, social welfare, leisure, etc…).
About French society, at the end of the course, the students should be capable of:
- describing the main characteristics of the French society
- saying a few things about French geography.
- describing the main structures of its schooling system
- making a typical description of the French family
- explaining how the social welfare works
- speaking about leisure
- defining what the "qualify of life" means and implies for French people...
Prerequisite
To take this course, the student must be capable of understanding, speaking and presenting
fluently in English language. She or he should have a sensibilty towards intercultural
matters.
Content:
The course is divided into 3 parts.
Intercultural Communication:
What is culture and where does it come from?
How do we learn it and what happens to our sense of it when we travel?
Stereotypes and generalizations: what's the difference?
Avoiding judgment: why does it matter?
How can we decode our experiences: non-verbal communication
Understanding France and the French: a few clues
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Culture(s) in France and French Society:
After getting an overview by knowing about history and facts, influences, intellectual life, trends and
development, and the special role of Paris, the students dive into different aspects of artistic and
cultural life in France (arts and high culture), studying several examples and personalities from the
fields of culture mentioned above (fine arts, architecture, music, cinema and movies, la mode and the
fashion industry, food and cuisine…) rising from the historical to the contemporary.
Students study major characteristics of French society (education, leisure, the world of work, through
both written documents (articles, magazines) and videos. This should enable students to draw the
archetype of the French family and habits. The course also helps students to compare French society
to their own society.
Topic 1 The geography of France
1- The French regions :
 landscapes and architecture
 specificities and traditions
2- The Nord-Pas-de-Calais region : defining the region
 industry
 architecture
 traditions
 identity
3- The regional diversity
Topic 2 Portraying the French way of life, and the French
1- The life of an average French family
 housing
 work
 children
 meals
 family
 leisure and holidays
2- A few French profiles, as known by the French
3- Key historical facts and heroes that matter in the French memory
Topic 3 French issues
1- A few typically French cultural, social and political issues
 l’ « exception culturelle »
 la « laïcité » (secularism)
 le « modèle social »
 the french identity
2- Events throughout the year
 news and conversations
 feasts, festivals and celebrations
Topic 4 Food and fashion
1- French gastronomy and regional food
2- Typical French meals and eating habits
3- Fashion and trends
4- Dressing codes
Topic 5 French Arts
th
1- Class about “French Arts during the 19 Century”
2- How to recognize architectural styles? A visit through the streets and monuments of the city
of Lille
3- Visit of the Palais des Beaux-Arts of Lille
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2) WORKLOAD
It shows the student workload both in class and homework:
Form:
Comments
Face-to-face, In-class
Number of
hours
36 hours
Out-site training, fieldtrip:
4 hours
Visit to Lille Museum of Fine Arts,
Bruges and Brussels
Approximatepersonalwork/Homework: 15 hours
Student total workload
55 hours
3) EDUCATIONAL METHODS
Lecture, share of experiences, interactive class, debates, research, case studies
4) ASSESSMENT
Form
Continuous
assessment
(percentage break
down 20%)
Final exam
(percentage break
down 60%)
Number
1
Duration
10 mn
Comments
Comment or presentation on a
chosen topic
2
1h
1h
Take-home exam
Writing a personal document
(article, blog, diary, short story,
photo album…) that will give the
student’s own perception of the
French culture and society, in
relation to what he/she learned in
the course and his/her personal
experience and observation.
Others (student
participation…)
(percentage break
down 20%)
Participation and contribution to group
discussion (20%)
Recommended Readings
The Cambridge Companion to Modern French Culture/Nicholas Hewitt (editor)/ 2003
Contemporary French Cultural Studies/ William Kidd/ 2000
France: The Essential Guide to Viewing Art in France/ Bill & Lorna Hannan/ 2005
French Cinema: From it's Beginnings to the Present/ Rémi Fournier Lanzoni/ 2004
The Fashion System/ Roland Barthes/ 1990
French Gastronomy/ Jean-Robert Pitte/ 2002
Internet Resources
www.frenchculture.org
http://french.about.com/od/culture/French_Culture_Culture_francaise.htm
5) ACADEMIC CALENDAR
June 28 to July 23, 2013
This syllabus is based on information that was available at the time of publication (December 2012).
Changes may occur.
For updated information about course content, please contact us: [email protected]
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