CIEE Study Center in Paris, France Course name: Paris Metisse

CIEE Study Center in Paris, France
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Paris Metisse: Multiculturalism and Popular Culture in Paris
FRST 3006 PCSU
Summer Language + Culture
Natasa Basic and Hannah Taieb
French
3 semester credits / 4.5 quarter credits
45
Summer 2015
tbd.
THE DEFINITIVE SYLLABUS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED IN CLASS.
Course Description
The course focuses on métissage or cultural mixing in popular cultural forms, such as music, comic
books, and cinema. Examples from each of these popular culture genres are used to explore the
following themes: what are the images of Frenchness and of the exotic non-French Other that
emerge in these forms? What kinds of cultural mixing or métissage can be untangled through
analyzing examples in detail? What kinds of cultural expression emerge from recent immigrants to
France and their children? The course presupposes some knowledge of French history.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, students should be able to analyze examples of popular culture "texts," in
terms of their relevance to contemporary French notions of métissage, identity and community.
This entails a basic understanding of methodological approaches associated with cinema studies,
and with post-colonial cultural studies. It entails as well an understanding of the kinds of cultural
difference that are relevant in France, with a particular focus on post-colonial immigrants, their
creation and representations.
Methods of Instruction
This course is conducted as a seminar, with group interpretation of Readings and cultural “texts”, oral
presentations, outings and discussions.
Assessment and Final Grade
Grading Policy for this class is based on the following criteria:
Participation and attendance
Oral presentations
Test one
Test two
Paper
20%
20%
20%
20%
20%
Course Requirements


Presence in class and participation in the discussion.
Students will have Reading assignments which must be completed before the class.

Please note that if a student is absent from class or unable to attend an outing, it is the
responsibility of that student to email the instructor for details of the work missed
Attendance and Class Participation
Substantial absences are factored into grades. Please note the following:
 Two late arrivals (more than 15 minutes) or early departures= one full absence.
 Two absences = excessive absence for a course that meets once per week.
 Each additional absence after two absences will lead to a grading penalty.
 Make-up tests will not be provided unless the test was missed due to a health emergency or other
imperative.
Course Schedule (Daily Course Outline)
I.
Wednesday June 24.
Introduction to the class.
What is métissage?
What is popular culture?
How is “popular culture” defined in the fields of cultural sociology and cultural
studies?
What are the particular issues involved in defining popular culture in the French
context?
How are popular culture forms interpreted?
Genres to be studied in class: rap and rai music; popular films; graphic novels
and comic books (bandes déssinées).
Who are France’s recent immigrants?
Reading: Selected sections from Martin, Laplantine & Nouss, Serres, and Wihtol
de Wenden & Benoit-Guyod.
II. Thursday June 25.
Visit to the immigration museum and exhibit “Fashion Mix”.
Reading: Historical sections from Dabitch.
Handout/assignment: questionnaire to be filled out during visit to museum.
Handout/assignment: B.D. (bande déssinée),from Dabitch. Each student will select a
different immigrant story to be presented in class the following day.
III. Friday June 26.
Discussion of questionnaires filled out during visit to immigration museum.
Oral presentations: each student will present one of the immigrant stories/B.D.s.
Introduction to the genre B.D. What are B.D.s and how do we interpret them?
No reading for today since each student will be working on his/her oral presentation.
Handout/assignment: Each student will select an Asterix book to be presented in
class on Monday June 29th.
Assignment: NB Students will be presented with options for their oral
presentations/papers. These “cultural texts” will include comic books, music, and movies.
Students should make their selection and begin working on their presentations.
IV. Monday June 29.
Asterix and the parody of identities.
Discussion of stereotypes and difference in Asterix.
Oral presentations by students: each student will discuss stereotyping and parody in
one Asterix book.
Introduction to the theme of popular music: Métissage in the music of Zebda,
Faudel, and selected rap musicians.
Reading: Selections from Rouvière.
Handout/assignment: East student chooses a song that they will present the
following day.
V. Tuesday June 30.
Métissage and affirmation of identities in music.
Oral presentations by students of songs selected on the previous day.
Reading: Hammou, Marranci.
Handout/assignment: Each student choses a song that they will present on Monday
July 6.
VI. Wednesday July 1.
Museum visit: Institut du monde arabe : Hiphop: du Bronx aux rues arabes.
Details tbd.
VII. Monday July 6.
Métissage and affirmation of identities in music.
Discussion of museum visit.
Oral presentations by students of songs.
Preparation for test one.
VIII.
Tuesday July 7.
Test one.
Film viewing. Tbd.
IX. Wednesday July 8.
Introduction to theme of popular cinema.
Film viewing and discussion. Tbd.
Reading: Caillé.
X. Thursday July 9.
Film viewing and discussion Tbd.
Reading: tbd.
XI. Monday July 13.
Film viewing and discussion. Tbd.
Reading: tbd.
6 pm : Evening outing: Institut des Cultures de l’Islam. Algerian singer: Souad Asla.
To be confirmed.
XII. Wednesday July 15.
Conclusions, wrap-up. Workshoping paper topics. Preparation for test two.
XIII.
Thursday July 16.
Test two (non-cumulative).
XIV.
Friday July 17.
Final oral presentations. Papers due.
Readings
Additional readings may also be added or handed out in class.
Caillé, Patricia. 2003. « La culture cinématographique en France, ou la question du genre dans la joute
entre l’élite et le grand public ». In Culture de masse, culture d’élite et différence des sexes, Geneviève
Sellier and Eliane Viennot, eds. Paris : L'Harmattan.
Dabitch, Christophe, ed. 2010. Immigrants (13 témoignages, 13 auteurs de bande dessinée et 6
historiens). Paris : Futuropolis.
Hammou, Karim. 2013. « Y a-t-il une « question blanche » dans le rap français ? » In Sylvie Laurent et
Thierry Leclère, De quelle couleur sont les Blancs ? Paris : La Découverte.
Laplantine, François, and Alexis Nouss, eds. 2001. Métissages : de Archimboldi à Zombi. Paris :
Editions.
Marranci, Gabriele. 2001.« Le raï aujourd’hui : Entre métissage musical et world music moderne ».
Cahiers d’ethnomusicologie 13.
Martin, Denis-Constant. 2000. « Cherchez le peuple : Culture, populaire et politique. » Critique
internationale (7 avril 2000).
Rouvière, Nicolas. 2008. Asterix ou la Parodie des identités. Paris : Champs-Flammarion.
Serres, Michel. 1992. Le Tiers Instruit. Paris: Gallimard.
Wihtol de Wenden, Catherine, and Madeleine Benoit-Guyod. 2012. Atlas des migrations : Un équilibre
mondial à inventer. Paris : Editions Autrement.
Cultural “texts” treated in class and to be proposed for student research papers
This list will be completed by the instructors at the beginning of the class.
Comic books:
Aya de Yopougon. Marguerite Abouet et Clément Oubreric.
Petit Polio. Farid Boudjellal.
Mémé d’Armenie. Farid Boudjellal.
L’arabe du futur. Riad Settouf.
Popular films:
Les Indigènes.
La Haine.
Aicha.
Inchallah Dimanche.
Les Noms des gens.
Bienvenue chez les chtis.
L’esquive.
Music:
Zebda, Le bruit et l’odeur.
La Fouine, Afrika.
Marly-Gomont.
Abd al Malik.
Faudel, Mon pays.
Diam’s, Ma France à moi.
Manau.
Lino, Fautes de français.