In this course, we will view the French looking in the mirror, which should provide us with a unique and fascinating opportunity for reflection on our selves and others. The texts for the course are available for purchase in the University Bookstore and listed below in the order in which we read them. The number of books may appear intellectually and financially overwhelming to some. If you do not like to read or consider it a superfluous part of your education, do not take this class. Note nonetheless that the reading averages to well under 100 pages per week, and even then includes the sources for all papers in the course.
All readings are moreover short, interesting, and wonderfully illuminate the issues at hand.
Note also that spending up to five years and many thousands of dollars on your education and then saving a few bucks on books is a classic case of penny wisdom. The class and hence your performance in it stands and falls with the careful completion, critical assessment, and engaged discussion of the required readings. To assist in this, you will be responsible for introducing one of the readings in advance to the class in a text preview . Once each reading is complete, we meet and discuss it. Rather, participation means an evident engagement with the material and with other students, exhibiting, facilitating and contributing to your own learning and that of others.