French 341 - Africa & Europe: Encounter

'From 1920 to 1940, black students from Africa and the Caribbean met in Paris to pursue their studies. Prompted by the colonial situation in their country of origin and the political situation in France, Aime Cesaire (Martinique), Leopold Sedar Senghor (Senegal), and Leon Gontran Damas (Guyana) formed the cultural movement known as 'Negritude.' We will discuss the genesis, objectives, and evolution of this movement and focus on its 'founding' poetic texts. We will also examine its influence on the new generation of African and Caribbean writers at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Students will present orally and choose a topic for a final 15-20-page writing assignment.'

Prereq: Two of the following courses: French 215, 219, 225, or 230.