French 331LF - Courses on Social and Political Issues and Critical Approaches: 'Publishing 'la Francophonie': The Distribution and Reception of Texts from the Antilles, Africa, and Beyond'

This course decolonizes French literary study by focusing on the history of Francophone publishing against the dominance of Paris as cultural capital. Reading authors such as Césaire, Chauvet, Tadjo, and Laferrière, our analyses will include the material conditions that shape stories. From the innovative publisher Présence Africaine to Littérature Monde, and from small presses like LEGS Éditions to transnational co-productions, we'll consider the aesthetic and political cultures determining literary distribution and reception. Exploring the effects of literary prizes, grants, and subsidies, we'll go beyond the text to ask how market networks that grant access and attention impact narratives.

Prereq: Two of the following courses: FREN-215, FREN-219, FREN-225.