This course examines the history, theory, and practice of the genre called Documentary Film. Between studying the 'actualites' of the cinema's first practitioners and the self-reflexive postmodern works of contemporary filmmakers such as Errol Morris, we will investigate ethnographic film, cinema verité, direct cinema, activist media, personal essay films, docudramas, and 'mockumentaries.' We will examine the formal structures through which these films make meaning and explore theoretical questions concerning notions of truth, ethics, and politics.

This course will introduce students to contemporary popular culture in France and the French-speaking world, largely through the study of recent (post-1990) best-selling novels, popular music, and feature films. Students will be asked to give formal oral presentations based on up-to-date materials gathered from the Internet and/or French television and to participate actively in class discussion.

This course introduces the literatures of French-speaking countries outside Europe. Readings include tales, novels, plays, and poetry from Africa, the Caribbean, Canada, and other areas. Discussions and short papers examine the texts as literary works as well as keys to the understanding of varied cultures. Students will be asked to do formal oral and written presentations.

Some of the best feature-length films of the past century have commanded our attention because of their compelling artistry and the imaginative ways they tell stories visually and verbally. This course closely studies narrative films from around the world, from the silent era to the present, and in the process it introduces students to the basic elements of film form, style, and narration.

This course introduces students to literature and culture from a variety of perspectives. It will increase confidence and skill in writing and speaking; integrate historical, political, and social contexts into the study of literary texts from France and the French-speaking world; and bring understanding of the special relevance of earlier periods to contemporary French and Francophone cultural and aesthetic issues. Students explore diversified works - literature, historical documents, film, art, and music - and do formal oral and written presentations.

This course will improve students' writing and speaking skills in French and develop their ability to read and analyze texts. Course materials include authors and films representing cultures of the French-speaking world. Written and oral expression are strengthened through weekly essays, class discussion, and comprehensive grammar review.

Twenty-five years after German unification, the legacy of East Germany (GDR) continues to be the topic of popular culture and scholarship alike. How do post-Wall films, literature, and memoirs depict everyday life in the former GDR? How do these depictions intersect with transnational issues of migration, identity, and responses to oppression? How do we account for the contradictory emotions that emerge in renditions of the GDR from Ostalgia to comparisons between the Stasi and the Gestapo?

This course examines historical, cultural, and political developments that continue to frame debates about the twentieth century, World War II, the former GDR, and German unification. Thematic focus helps students develop accuracy, fluency, and complexity of expression. Reading, writing, and speaking are consistently integrated. Special emphasis is placed on text organization toward expanding students' language abilities, with a gradual movement from personal forms of expression to written and public discourse.

This course will improve students' writing and speaking skills in French and develop their ability to read and analyze texts. Course materials include authors and films representing cultures of the French-speaking world. Written and oral expression are strengthened through weekly essays, class discussion, and comprehensive grammar review.

A comprehensive grammar review aimed at developing language skills in context and providing a foundation for continued study of writing, speaking, reading, and listening in French. Using French in Action and various methods and multimedia tools, all sections will concentrate on: study of grammatical structures as means of communication; frequent compositions to develop effective writing strategies; reading short literary and non-literary texts; and, guided oral expression through structured discussions and exercises.