The Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty juxtaposed. (Courtesy of Marionzetta on Flickr.)
Instructor(s)
Prof. Sabine Levet
MIT Course Number
21G.315
As Taught In
Fall 2011
Level
Undergraduate
Course Description
Course Features
Course Description
This course is an intermediate subject designed to help students gradually build an in-depth understanding of France. The course focuses on French attitudes and values regarding education, work, family and institutions, and deals with the differing notions that underlie interpersonal interactions and communication styles, such as politeness, friendship and formality. Using a Web comparative, cross-cultural approach, students explore a variety of French and American materials, then analyze and compare them using questionnaires, opinion polls, news reports (in different media), as well as a variety of historical, anthropological and literary texts. Throughout the course, attention is given to the development of relevant linguistics skills. This course is recommended for students planning to study and work in France and is taught in French.