A series of topic-centered courses, introducing themes in Comparative Literature.
Professor(s)
Notes
Through the study of major works of literature, this course examines the legacy of Parisian history, politics and civilization from the Ancien Régime to contemporary Paris. How, throughout history, has Paris consistently been the stage of major world issues thanks to authors’ writings which create, and therefore recreate, the City of Light? How have the writers of Paris rendered glorious and financially exploitable various historical realities by turning them into literature? Themes studied include Catholic France and freedom of religion, absolute monarchy and government by the people, colonialism and anti-colonialism, substance use/abuse and literature, Parisian identity and foreign influence, the abolition of the death penalty, academic excellence, justice, rights, sexual liberties, civil liberties and (above all) Paris which, for many, remains yet today the paradigm of culture and civilization – the most literary, philosophical and beautiful city in the world.
Learning Outcomes
- To contemplate and discuss, in French, works of Parisian literature from the Ancien Régime to today.
- To understand how Paris as a place has shaped authors and their works, and how the city itself has been defined by literary images.
- To become familiar with the geographical setting of Paris both through its literature and historically.
- To think both critically and creatively, in French, about representations of Paris, and to produce, in French, at least one such interpretation of your own, as a paper, short film, or performance.
- FirstBridge Learning Outcomes:
- Students will enhance their information literacy, acquiring an understanding of how information is produced, and discovering how to evaluate, create and use it effectively and ethically. Students will develop an awareness of the conversational nature of scholarship and be able to identify appropriate secondary sources to conduct effective research.
- Students will develop public speaking and presentation skills in order to participate effectively and appropriately in academic discussion and as community leaders, in a professional and engaging manner that can convey complex information.
- Students will be able to appreciate place as a site of knowledge, to interrogate the multiple meanings of place and develop a more informed and sensitive understanding of interactions between people and their physical environment.
- Students will learn to formulate questions that can lead to greater learning and productive individual and group research projects.
- Students will strengthen the concrete skills and aptitudes to be successful at AUP and beyond, such as study skills and time management, the mindsets that lead to lifelong learning, and desired classroom behaviors and interpersonal skills.
Syllabus
Book List
| Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN Number |
|---|---|---|---|
Fahrenheit 451 | Ray Bradbury | Flamingo | 9780006546061 |
Selected Stories | Philip K. Dick (ed. by Jonathan Lethem) | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | 9780544040540 |
Schedule
| Day | Start Time | End Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
Monday | 12:10 | 13:30 | G-102 |
Thursday | 12:10 | 13:30 | G-102 |