Recent News

We are pleased to announce the fourth annual French & Italian Studies Academic Awards! The FIS Academic Awards are a chance for students to be officially recognized for their excellent work  in French and Italian studies courses, have their projects showcased on the department website, and receive a cash prize. All currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students who have completed a project in a French & Italian Studies course in spring 2023, summer 2023, autumn 2023, and winter… Read more
During Autumn quarter 2023, the Department of French & Italian Studies hosted and sponsored a number of activities across campus. Here is a wrap up of the events we hosted in addition to which events to look forward to in Winter quarter.  Dawg Daze 2023 This year, the department had two Dawg Daze events. On September 22nd, we hosted a Bocce vs. Petanque game in the Quad field. During these games, students learned how to play Bocce and Petanque under the guidance of our faculty and… Read more
Maya Angela Smith, Associate Professor of French, recently was featured in episode 8 of “Ways of Knowing”. The podcast, produced through a partnership between The World According to Sound and the University of Washington, highlights how studies of the humanities can reflect everyday life.  In Episode 8: Translation, Maya Angela Smith  introduces translation studies through the lens of the song “Ne Me Quitte Pas.” Originally recorded by Jacques Brel — a French-speaking Belgian man — the song… Read more
Hannah Frydman, Assistant Professor of French Studies, has recently been awarded the triennial Bailey Prize for Best Journal Article by The New York State Association of European Historians. The Association held its 73rd annual meeting on October 13-14, 2023 and announced the award as part of this meeting.  Dr.Frydman won the award for “Freedom’s Sex Problem: Classified Advertising, Law, and the Politics of Reading in Third Republic France,” which was published in French Historical Studies in… Read more
  This upcoming Summer, The Italian Studies program will be hosting a new study abroad program to Perugia, Italy. Assistant Teaching Professor of French & Italian, Irina Markina, will be leading the program as the director. This program is intended for students who have taken ITAL 101 to explore Perugia while continuing their Italian studies.  Nestled around a medieval piazza perched on the green hills of Umbria, Perugia is the region’s capital city boasting a rich history and a vibrant… Read more
The Royalty Research Fund (RRF) has supported UW Faculty research since 1992, and this summer Professor Irina Markina was awarded funding based on the strength of her recent proposal. The RRF is a competitive awards program that provides research support to faculty. In her own words, Irina is "working on a book project on Parisian arrondissement townhall murals commissioned under the Third Republic, between 1870 and 1900. This municipal mural campaign has received very little attention from… Read more
The Department of French & Italian Studies would like to congratulate the class of 2023! We are elated to have contributed to their success. On June 8th, graduating majors in French & Italian Studies gathered with their families and professors on campus to mingle, enjoy refreshments, and celebrate their achievements at a graduation reception for the class of 2023. Please enjoy the Graduation… Read more
Read more
In Eva-Grace's own words: Marxist literary theory argues that identity is determined entirely by external factors that act on society and the individual. These factors, be they historical, economical, or otherwise, and their effect on perception of identity permeate the writings of Marco Polo and other adventure authors of the time. In his highly fictionalized discussions of different peoples, Polo displays a hierarchical understanding of groups of people. Polo’s system of racial hierarchy… Read more