FREN2027
French culture and society
FREN2027
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French culture and society
First semester
6 credits
Assessment:
100% coursework
Prerequisites:
FREN1002 or equivalent
Co-requisites:
FREN2001 or FREN2002
Hours per week:
2 hrs/week
Contact hours:
24 hours
Total learning hours:
120 hours
This course is designed to review key aspects of France’s society and culture as well as to offer a concise introduction to the main stages of the country’s historical and territorial development. Topics will include institutions and society (government, education, politics, economy, labour, media, etc.) and essential cultural features (festivals, customs, traditions, etiquette, colloquialisms, way of life, leisure, etc.). Major events that have contributed to the shaping of the country will also be presented and their significance discussed. The role and place of the regions within this historical process will be examined, so as to understand the correlation of distinct regional characteristics with related historical developments. The teaching material and resources used for this course will be in French, and the main medium of instruction will be French.
Objectives
To familiarize students with important characteristics of French culture and history; To discuss the role of collective memory in contemporary societies; To elicit a process of self-assessment of the learner’s prejudices and tenets, as well as a new appraisal of his/her own culture; To improve the students’ receptive and productive skills in the French language.
Learning outcomes
1) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of French society and culture, history, regions and cultural iconography. 2) Show ability to analyze critically and to discuss perceptively aspects of French culture and history. 3) Demonstrate knowledge of various aspects of French social customs and show the ability to identify elements of comparison with Chinese and Hong Kong Culture. 4) Summarize and discuss texts and documents in a subjective or objective way and express critical opinions and judgments in the target language. 5) Use the French language at a level of upper-intermediate proficiency consistent with level A2+/B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL).