ITST333

ITST333

In Search of “Italianness” through Novellas (in English)

Like a feature film, the “novella” (longer than a short story but shorter than a novel) can be enjoyed in just one sitting.  Hence, the never-ending interest for a literary genre that dates back to Boccaccio and the Italian Renaissance. Thanks to its brevity, concrete symbolism and focus on character exploration, the novella is ideal for examining the cultural traits underpinning the notion of Italianness.

Taught in English, the course is intended as a journey into the hearts and minds of Italians through the reading of seven masterpieces of the novella. Taken and studied together, these works show how, when and where Italians are at their best, worst, and most authentic. As such, at the end of the course students will be better equipped to interpret contemporary Italy and the multifarious, highly fragmented, and viscerally regional character of its citizens.

Students will analyze Italian novellas through in-class discussions and take-home assignments. In order to stimulate classroom discussion and provide useful insight into the wide variety of Italy’s socio-cultural specificities, the texts will be supplemented with selected background information including scholarly criticism, visual media, and media reception. The course is highly interactive.

The course is taught in English by Dr. Arianna Dagnino, a creative writer and literary translator who worked for twenty years as an international reporter before re-entering academia. Feel free to email her to know more about the course.

Students from any discipline are welcome!

Language of instruction: English

Required readings
Erri de Luca, Three Horses, Other Press, New York, 2005.

Other readings will be provided by the instructor.

FREN280

Québec’s Quiet Revolution: Cultural and Political Legacies

Often used to describe the period of political and social change that took place in the province of Québec during the 1960s and the 1970s, the expression “Quiet Revolution” has become a category of mythological proportions in the Canadian collective memory. This historical period is understood as a moment of liberation during which Québec society supposedly entered modernity, leaving behind the traditional domination of the Catholic Church and la grande noirceur (the great darkness) of the conservative government of Maurice Duplessis. The persistence of this compelling – but also simplistic – narrative, which like any revolution suggests a distinction between a Before and an After, speaks as much about the period itself as the way Québec society thinks of itself today.

This course focuses on the political and cultural dimensions of the Quiet Revolution, and its perceived legacy 50 years later. We will give particular attention to the heated debates that came along with the adoption of new measures to strengthen French language and culture in the public space, and we will follow the rise of the nationalist movements that culminated in the referendums of 1980 and 1995. Through the study of music, art, works of fiction, films and documentaries, students will develop a better understanding of the transformations that paved the way to the emergence of a new Québécois identity.

Required Texts
Michel Tremblay, Les Belles Soeurs, translated by John Van Burek & Bill Glassco.
Michel Tremblay, Yours Forever, Marie-Lou, translated by Linda Gaboriau.
Lise Tremblay, Judith’s Sister, translated by Linda Gaboriau.

Films and Documentaries
Pierre Perrault, Pour la suite du monde (1963)
Gilles Groulx, The Cat in the Bag (1964)
Jean-Claude Labrecque, La visite du général de Gaulle au Québec (1967)
Robin Spry, Action: The October Crisis of 1970 (1973)
Robin Spry, Reaction: A Portrait of a Society in Crisis (1973)
Michel Brault, Orders (1974)
Denys Arcand, Comfort and Indifference (1982)
Jackie Corkery, Breaking Point (2005)

Prerequisite: None

Language of instruction: English

Course Registration

FREN380

What is Frenchness?

“Boy, those French, they have a different word for everything!”
                                                                            Steve Martin

From baguettes and red wine to the Eiffel Tower, we all carry around an idea of what defines « Frenchness ». In this course, we will explore the idea of Frenchness from the point of view of three key concepts that have formally shaped French national identity since the French Revolution: « universalism, » « laïcité » [secularism], and « patrimoine » [cultural heritage]. As contemporary France has evolved, socially and demographically, these three concepts have been subject to increasing pressures. We will explore the history of these concepts, as well as their evolution up to the present day in a series of readings that span two centuries. We will consider how these core concepts continue to inform the political and cultural dynamics of France as it grapples with its colonial past, its postcolonial present and its place in a changing Europe.

This course is primarily for upper-level students.

Texts:
Coursepack (available from instructor) plus texts tba

Prerequisite: Second-year standing

Note:
Not available for credit toward a Minor, Major or Honours program in French.

Course Registration

SPAN309

Business Spanish of International Trade in the Hispanic World

Numerosas economías emergentes en Latino América (v.gr., Chile, México, Perú) han logrado establecer un importante rol internacional gracias a la comercialización de sus productos. Dicha situación le ofrece a quienes dominan el español como idioma materno o lengua adicional, explorar interesantes oportunidades de desarrollo profesional y personal.

El curso SPAN 309 introduce a los estudiantes al tema del Comercio Exterior. El énfasis es el intercambio comercial que existe entre Canadá y los países hispanoamericanos. Por ejemplo, los estudiantes aprenden acerca de las economías que se sustentan en base al intercambio internacional, los principales bienes y servicios que se comercializan y los mercados a los cuales se destinan dichos productos.

Para comprender y discutir las diversas unidades del curso (v.gr., los acuerdos comerciales, los procesos de transportes de los productos, la banca internacional, etc.), los estudiantes se familiarizan con la terminología técnica propia de estas materias. Asimismo, se estudian diversos textos audiovisuales y escritos relacionados con temas administrativos y logísticos propios de la importación y exportación, normativas legales y procedimientos que promueven el comercio internacional.

El curso SPAN 309 prioriza el aprendizaje empírico mediante el cual los estudiantes aplican a situaciones reales, los conceptos aprendidos. Por ejemplo, para completar el componente investigativo de las unidades, los estudiantes pueden: (a) visitar y conocer los departamentos de comercio exterior de los consulados latinoamericanos en Vancouver, (b) reunirse con representantes del Latino Canadian Chamber of Commerce, (c) contactar a representantes de compañías canadienses que comercializan productos desde y hacia los países hispanoamericanos.

Es así como el curso SPAN 309 permite a los estudiantes usar el español más allá de la sala de clases para conversar sobre las materias estudiadas, investigar temas relevantes y establecer sus propias redes de contactos.

Materiales de estudio:
Coursepack disponible en el sitio electrónico del curso.

Prerequisite: One of SPAN 207, SPAN 302.

Language of instruction: Spanish

Course Registration

 

FREN348

[Cross-listed with Medieval Studies 301]

Journeys to the East: Tales of Travel and Conquest in Medieval French Literature

The European Middle Ages did not occur in a bubble: medieval Europe was part of an interconnected social, political, economic and cultural continuum that spanned much of Eurasia and Africa, and included a myriad religions, languages and societies. This course aims to explore this global medieval world through the lens of French literature: how it represented non-feudal and non-majority-Christian cultures, what sort of contacts it focused on (peaceful or agressive), and the ways in which it indirectly depicted itself through describing (or fantasizing) the “Other”.

The course will therefore focus on medieval representations of the world and of societies and cultures beyond Western Europe, as well as early instances of Orientalism and Othering, through fictional and factual accounts. Texts will include The Song of Roland and its confrontational depiction of the Muslim world; Villehardouin’s chronicle of the Fourth Crusade (in Constantinople) and Joinville’s chronicle of the Seventh (in Egypt); and two key travel narratives: Marco Polo’s real-life record of his journey to the court of Kublai Khan and back, and John Mandeville’s more dubious Book of Wonders. Study of these Western texts will be interspersed with excerpts from Byzantine and Arab texts that depict the obverse perspective, showcasing how the medieval continuum goes both ways.

This course is taught in English and cannot count towards a Major or Minor in French. It is cross-listed as MDVL 301 within the Medieval Studies program.

Required readings:

  • The Song of Roland and Other Poems of Charlemagne, Oxford World’s Classics, 2016, ISBN 978-0199655540
  • Joinville and Villehardouin, Chronicles of the Crusades, Penguin Classics, 2009, ISBN 978-0140449983
  • Marco Polo, The Travels, Penguin Classics, 2016, ISBN 978-0241253052
  • The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, Penguin Classics, 2005, ISBN 978-0141441436

Other texts will be made available on Canvas.

Prerequisite: Second year standing or higher. At least 6 credits of English, or equivalent, is strongly recommended.

Language of instruction: English

Note: Not available for credit towards a Minor, Major or Honours program in French.

Course Registration

ITST234

Introduction to Italian Cinema

This course introduces students to one of the world’s most respected and influential cinematic traditions and industries, which made the film art an inseparable part of Italian popular culture, and Italian cinema part of global cultural heritage. Each week we discuss one film from the post-WWII era by analyzing its historical, social, political, and aesthetic aspects. This in-depth study allows us to understand the larger cultural dynamics and the significance of the film’s thesis. Topics to be covered include war destruction, economic reconstruction, family, religion, industrialization, work, migration, identity diversity, and organized crime.

Prerequisites: No prerequisites

Language of instruction: English

FREN483A

La France et la Deuxième Guerre mondiale

La Deuxième Guerre mondiale n’arrête pas d’être d’une actualité cuisante dans la France d’aujourd’hui, où les souvenirs de la défaite de 1940, de l’Occupation et des déportations ne cessent de troubler la conscience d’une nation. Quoique la génération de la guerre soit en train de disparaître, les souvenirs de cette triste époque restent vifs tant par les œuvres de l’époque que par celles d’aujourd’hui. Ce cours se donnera pour but d’étudier un livre écrit par un historien contemporain ainsi que trois livres écrits par des femmes de l’époque: Irène Némirovsky, Hélène Berr et Marguerite Duras. Ces écrivaines, dont deux sont mortes en déportation, ont témoigné des effets de la guerre et de l’Occupation allemande sur leur pays. Ces œuvres nous parlent et nous affectent par une écriture si proche des affreux événements des années quarante. Les dures réalités de l’Occupation, le contact quotidien avec les Allemands, ainsi que la disparition et parfois le retour des proches – ces événements ont inspiré les trois auteures à tenter une écriture limite aussi proche que possible du traumatisme personnel et national. Ces tentatives de dire l’indicible pourraient nous laisser dans un silence respectueux, mais elles peuvent aussi nous donner envie d’en savoir plus et de témoigner, tant d’années après, de nos propres réactions à ces œuvres poignantes qui ont marqué un siècle. On étudiera les thèmes de l’antisémitisme, de la solidarité, de la survie, de l’amour et de la mort, tels que trois écrivaines du XXe siècle les ont mis en scène, qui dans une fiction, qui dans un Journal, qui dans un livre de souvenirs, à l’époque de ce qu’Henry Rousso a appelé « les années noires » de la France.

Lectures obligatoires:
Irène Némirovsky, Suite française
Hélène Berr, Journal
Marguerite Duras, La Douleur
Henry Rousso, Les Années noires: vivre sous l’Occupation

Prerequisite:
One of FREN 320, FREN 321, FREN 328, FREN 329, FREN 330.

Language of instruction: French

Course Registration

SPAN420

Women in Theatre: Romance, Honour and Murder

Ascent and Decline: Topics in Golden-Age Peninsular Literature and Culture

Expect murder, romance, magic and mayhem as we read some of the most outstanding theatrical plays of the Golden Age. Much of today’s drama, from Broadway musicals to intellectual farces, descends from a rich Hispanic theatrical tradition dating back to the Renaissance. In this course students will build their knowledge of Golden Age drama and performance from Spain and Latin America, while paying particular attention to the representation of female characters, artistic objects and private/public spaces in four thematic sections: 1) dramas of honor, 2) comedies of “capa y espada,” 3) masculine women on stage and 4) female playwrights. The course will incorporate cinematic adaptations of plays, videos featuring memorable staged performances, readings of historical texts and behavior manuals, as well as varied visual arts with which the plays were in dialogue. We will also take note of early modern literary criticism to discern how dramatists interacted with the social, economic, political and artistic concerns of their time within in their work. Primary readings will include texts from Lope de Vega, Calderón de la Barca, Tirso de Molina, Cervantes, Ana Caro de Mallén, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, and María de Zayas among others.

Required readings:

  • Lope de Vega, El arte nuevo de hacer comedias. Ed. Enrique García Santo-Tomás, Cátedra 2009.
  • Lope de Vega, El castigo sin venganza. Ed. Antonio Carreño. Madrid: Cátedra, 2009.
  • Lope de Vega, La dama boba. Ed. Diego Marín. Madrid: Cátedra, 2006.
  • Pedro Calderón de la Barca, La dama duende. Ed. Jesús Pérez Magallón. Madrid: Cátedra, 2011.
  • Additional required readings will be posted as pdfs on Canvas.

Recommended readings:

  • Ignacio Arellano, Historia del teatro español del siglo XVII. Madrid: Cátedra, 2008.
  • Ignacio Arellano and José Antonio Rodríguez Garrido, El teatro en la Hispanoamérica colonial. Madrid: Iberoamericana, 2008.
  • Cervantes, Teatro Completo. Florencia Sevilla Arroyo. Barcelona: Penguin Random House, 2016.
  • Francisco Ruiz Ramón, Historia del teatro español (desde sus orígenes hasta 1900). Madrid: Cátedra, 2011.
  • Malveena McKendrick, Theatre in Spain, 1490-1700. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1989.
  • Teresa Scott Soufas, Dramas of Distinction: Plays by Golden Age Women. Lexington: The U of Kentucky P, 1997.

Prerequisite: SPAN 221

Corequisite: SPAN 302

Language of instruction: Spanish

Course Registration

FREN425A

Studies in French Autobiography

This autobiography course is designed for advanced students/majors in French, preferably, but not necessarily, who are engaged with contemporary literary studies. We will examine issues related to a literary genre and its manifold transformations in late 20th century, starting with the construction of the self. What are the interconnections between narrative voice, literary form, and subjectivity, for instance? Does autobiography fit in some happy realism (claiming to represent facts)? Is it an exercise in reshaping cultural imagination (French, bourgeois, gendered, social memory, etc.)? Is the impulse to self-narration universal? How does time inform narrative, or is it the other way round? We’ll also seek to examine what the impact of the theoretical discourse has been on writing autobiography.

Required readings:
Patrick Besson. Tour Jade (2003)
Marguerite Duras. L’Amant (1984
Marie Nimier. La Reine du silence (2004)
George Perec. W. ou le souvenir d’enfance (1975)

Prerequisite:
One of FREN 320, FREN 321, FREN 328, FREN 329, FREN 330.

Language of instruction: French

Course Registration

 

FREN470A

French Language and Societies

This course is an introduction to sociolinguistics, with a focus on French-speaking societies. Throughout the semester, we will discuss basic concepts in sociolinguistics and address main topics in the field, including language variation, language contact and its possible outcomes, standardization, multilingualism, identity questions, and language attitudes and ideologies. This course aims to enable students to analyse, understand and discuss the links between language and society by providing students with the knowledge of sociolinguistic theory, research methods, main concepts and terminology along with developing the relevant application skills. All discussions and work submitted in this course will be in French.

Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

  • Recognize the challenges of linguistic and sociocultural diversity in the French-speaking world.
  • Understand the main concepts and theories in sociolinguistics and apply them to the study of French and multilingual communities.
  • Discuss and explain the link between various social factors and language use.
  • Conduct their own sociolinguistics research in a French-speaking community.

Required readings:
Readings will be made available through the Canvas site.

Prerequisite: FREN 370

Corequisite: FREN 370 may be taken concurrently with the permission of the instructor of FREN 470.

Language of instruction: French