FREN2008 Post-War French Thought
Module Overview
This unit provides an introduction to the study of French post-war French thought and society.
Aims and Objectives
Module Aims
• provide you with an approachable introduction to the study of French thought • develop a number of skills which will equip you for the latter part of your degree course
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- post-war French thought and society
- the key concepts deployed by Beauvoir, Barthes and Fanon
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- employ correct referencing methods and construct bibliographies
- plan and carry out independent research and learning
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- demonstrate your critical and analytical skills by responding to questions about the validity and relevance of the ideas set out in the texts they have studied
- develop effective reading strategies for dealing with challenging material
Syllabus
This module will focus on three important texts in French post-war thought, linking these texts to three key themes in post-war history: women and society, the rise of consumer society, and decolonisation. The texts to be studied are Simone de Beauvoir, Le deuxième sexe (Vol.II), Roland Barthes, Mythologies and Frantz Fanon, Peau noire, masques blancs. While you will be invited to approach the texts with an awareness of their historical context, they will also be asked to think about ways in which these texts transcend their context and offer tools of analysis useful to any student of modern culture and society.
Special Features
Lectures will provide guidance on engaging with each theorist in turn in terms of the cultural and intellectual contexts of writing, the intellectual origins of their work and their relationships to one another. In the seminars you will be expected to engage actively with your classmates’ presentation work and to participate in discussions based on your own preparation of the material each week. Knowledge and understanding will be developed through your attendance at lectures, your independent study and your writing of essays. The two essays give you the opportunity to take further your engagement with these texts and to integrate the skills developed over the module.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include • weekly lecture • weekly seminar • individual consultations over essays and feedback from assignments Learning activities include • seminar presentations • independent learning in preparation for weekly classes
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 12 |
| Follow-up work | 4 |
| Completion of assessment task | 40 |
| Seminar | 12 |
| Revision | 40 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 2 |
| Wider reading or practice | 40 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Frantz Fanon. Peau noire, masques blancs.
Simone de Beauvoir. Le deuxième sexe (Vol.II).
Roland Barthes. Mythologies.
Assessment
Assessment Strategy
Assessments designed to provide informal, on-module feedback • seminar presentations • individual consultations on essay plans
Summative
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay (2000 words) | 50% |
| Essay (2000 words) | 50% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External