La Francophonie

LA FRANCOPHONIE :

A COMMON LANGUAGE, UNCOMMON DESTINIES AND COOPERATION

 

This course will examine the origins and evolution of La Francophonie with primary emphasis on France, Quebec and Senegal.  Beginning with the seminal writings of Léopold Sédat Senghor, we will study texts essential to an understanding of theory and movements connected with La Francophonie.  We will also address some of its social and cultural manifestations, including contemporary films, and undertake field trips related to the theme of the course.  Offering an opportunity to develop a general context for the travel experiences of the group, the course will explore the dynamic tension between the presence of a common language and the distinct Francophone identitites of peoples linked by a history of colonialism and by political, economic and cultural ties today.This course is taught primarily in English.