French 432: Topics in Contemporary French Society II: Foreign Political

This course is NOT a lecture-driven political science class concerning French foreign policy. Its goal, rather, is to promote students’ understanding of this complex domain and to enhance their linguistic competency through active discussion of French foreign policy issues encountered in other courses or in the news.

The format of the class is therefore a series of formal student oral exposés involving French foreign policy positions and their rationale, followed by class dialogue and debate. The syllabus will cover France’s foreign policies in respect to the European Union, Africa, Asia, the United States, and the former Soviet Union, as well as its involvement with former colonies, francophonie, industrial and economic competition, etc. A large portion of the exposés/debates will obviously follow current international events.

Student work on individually selected final papers will also be presented in class throughout the semester: the topics of these mini-research papers will have to be chosen by the end of September. Grades will be based on overall class participation, exposés, and final papers.

This course fulfills the upper-division culture requirement for the French major. Cross-listed with International Affairs.