French 380 - TOPICS/FRENCH CULTURAL STUDIES

Topics course. What is French America, or l'Amerique francaise? What is the nature of the French-American relationship, historically and today? At the height of the contemporary Franco-American culture wars, France and the United States seemed to be polar opposites. Yet at one time parts of the United States spoke French, lived and laughed in French, cried and died in French. Must French now be translated in America? Through what cultural mechanisms is Frenchness expressed by Americans? In what languages does one write French America today? We answer such questions in our exploration of the French experience of North America from the 17th to the 21st century.

Topic: France in America.