Francophone Cultures Ii
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course uses a historical-diachronic approach to introduce students to the historical, political and social contexts of certain French-speaking areas not covered by the course Francophone Cultures I, and to explore the cultural and intercultural practices that developed in those countries. During the course, different media (literary texts, critical texts, images, videos) will be presented, examined and compared using a transdisciplinary approach. This will enable students to critically understand the development and variety of the complex cultural mosaic of francophone communities.
Expected learning outcomes
Students should be able to understand, examine and compare various cultural phenomena, social and anthropological dynamics of relation, and connections between different cultures. More specifically, students should be equipped to understand the cultural specificities of the various francophone areas, as well as their intercultural and transcultural dynamics, also in light of the metropolitan context in which they occur. Imagining themselves as future mediators, students will be able to come up with possible solutions to the issues highlighted during this cultural investigation, and to design viable strategies to be implemented within inclusive practices.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Program's title: Regards sur et à travers la mer : imaginaires et représentations des peuples de la Méditerranée de langue française.
It is divided into two parts:
A. Conflits, voyages et représentations
B. La frontière méditerranéenne
Through a study of exemplary cases of imagery linked to the Mediterranean Sea and the cultures of French-speaking countries in the Maghreb, the course aims to investigate some of the main issues of contemporary life in a geographical area straddling the European and African continents. The starting point will be the historical and cultural context in which the first contacts between the European world and West Africa took place in the contemporary age, particularly in the context of French colonization. Special attention will be given to the colonial expositions promoted by the main French port cities between the end of the 19th century and 1931, as well as to the iconography (photos, drawings, posters, attractions) related to them promoted by the newspapers of the time and to the birth of the so-called littérature ethnographique.
We will then examine the reflections of some of the most important writers and artists of the decolonization years and the role that the sea seems to play in the process of affirming a cultural identity, taking as our starting point the work Qui se souvient de la mer (1962) by Algerian novelist Mohammed Dib and some excerpts from Portrait du colonisé, précédé du portrait du colonisateur (1957) by Albert Memmi. We will then continue with an in-depth analysis of the ambivalence that seems to have always characterized the Mediterranean sea, understood both as a crossroads of different peoples and cultures, but also as an insurmountable frontier and barrier. In this sense, the reading of some excerpts from the works of Albert Camus (Noces, 1937), Tahar Ben Jelloun (Partir, 2006), and Hédi Bouraoui (Le Conteur, 2012) will start a reflection on the phenomenon of emigration, which will also involve other aspects of Mediterranean culture past and present.
It is divided into two parts:
A. Conflits, voyages et représentations
B. La frontière méditerranéenne
Through a study of exemplary cases of imagery linked to the Mediterranean Sea and the cultures of French-speaking countries in the Maghreb, the course aims to investigate some of the main issues of contemporary life in a geographical area straddling the European and African continents. The starting point will be the historical and cultural context in which the first contacts between the European world and West Africa took place in the contemporary age, particularly in the context of French colonization. Special attention will be given to the colonial expositions promoted by the main French port cities between the end of the 19th century and 1931, as well as to the iconography (photos, drawings, posters, attractions) related to them promoted by the newspapers of the time and to the birth of the so-called littérature ethnographique.
We will then examine the reflections of some of the most important writers and artists of the decolonization years and the role that the sea seems to play in the process of affirming a cultural identity, taking as our starting point the work Qui se souvient de la mer (1962) by Algerian novelist Mohammed Dib and some excerpts from Portrait du colonisé, précédé du portrait du colonisateur (1957) by Albert Memmi. We will then continue with an in-depth analysis of the ambivalence that seems to have always characterized the Mediterranean sea, understood both as a crossroads of different peoples and cultures, but also as an insurmountable frontier and barrier. In this sense, the reading of some excerpts from the works of Albert Camus (Noces, 1937), Tahar Ben Jelloun (Partir, 2006), and Hédi Bouraoui (Le Conteur, 2012) will start a reflection on the phenomenon of emigration, which will also involve other aspects of Mediterranean culture past and present.
Prerequisites for admission
To take the Francophone Cultures II exam, students must have already taken the Francophone Cultures I exam. Students must also have a good knowledge of French, both in terms of comprehension and oral expression.
Teaching methods
The course will be held through face-to-face lessons in French in which the exposition of topics will be supported by the analysis of textual, iconographic and multimedia documents, which will be discussed in class.
Teaching Resources
The course webpage is available on the Ariel platform (Francophone Cultures II), which students are encouraged to consult for further information and for materials uploaded by the instructor.
Non-attending students are encouraged to contact the course instructor before beginning exam preparation.
Non-attending students are encouraged to contact the course instructor before beginning exam preparation.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The examination will be oral and the student will be able to choose whether to take it in French; it will begin with the analysis of a document, either from among those studied in class or on a study freely proposed by the candidate on the basis of a little personal research possibly guided by the teacher. The examination will then focus on the contexts and themes illustrated in the course.
Professor(s)