Instructor:	Armelle Crouzières
Office:	Château LL2
Office Hours:	M&W: 2:30-4:00, Tu&Th: 10:00-11:30
Office Phone:	443-2427
Email Address:	crouzier@panther.middlebury.edu
Course schedule and location:	MWF 1:30 to 2:20 p.m. Château B

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Development in the West opened a ounce stagnating English literature to the refreshing, exciting perspectives of writers like Melville or Twain. Similarly, French literature is being presently rejuvenated by writers outside of France. What does it mean to write for women from Guadeloupe, Cameroon, Senegal, Québec, or Algeria? Do these authors and their female characters face similar problems and dilemmas, despite living in different regions of the world? This course will introduce and examine contemporary women's writings (in translation) from the Francophone world (North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and North America). We will consider the diverse ways in which authors address the following issues: marriage, family, polygamy, love, confinement, education, politics, social class, and cultural identity.

AIMS OF THE COURSE

The main purpose of the course is to develop creative, critical and analytical skills through writing, reading, collaborative work, peer-review, small group debates, and student-led discussions. In this section of the First-Year Seminar, we will focus our study on literary works (novels, short stories, and drama) written by women writers from diverse horizons. This course will introduce students to Francophone literature and explore its various roles, themes, foci, and repercussions.