The Department of French & Italian Studies is offering a variety of exciting classes this Winter!
Read below to check out some of our classes and their descriptions! If you have any questions regarding our courses, please reach out to frenital@uw.edu.
ITAL 260 A: Fashion, Nation, and Culture (SSc, A&H)
Professor Susan Gaylard | MW 12:30pm - 2:20 pm | WFS 201 | Friday Quiz Sections
This course provides a broad introduction to Italian culture by examining the category “fashion” —beginning with late medieval livery, and the Renaissance emphasis on adapting one’s clothes, speech and personal style to the occasion. The early modern emphasis on manners, and the plethora of “how-to” manuals, corresponded with a growing identification of “dressing up” with effeminacy. We will examine the problem of gender and consumption, so as to contextualize the English adoption of the three-piece suit as modest masculine attire. We will also consider the role of clothing in constructing Italian, French, and American national identity. In this light, students will study both the post-war Italian idealization of American culture, and American idealization of Italian fashion.
FRENCH 223 A: Sex, Commerce, and the Making of Modern Paris (SSc, DIV)
Professor Matthew Skrzypczyk | TTh 11:30am - 1:20pm | SAV 130
Explores how Paris became the city of love. Examines how sexual commerce shaped the identity of the city, how the commercial spaces of the city shaped sexual identities, and how discourses about sexuality contributed to the legitimation of capitalism. Topics include the construction of gender difference, the emergence of mass media, and the commercial origins of queer identities.
FRENCH 301 A: Qui parle la langue de Molière? (A&H)
Professor Lamia Mezzour-Hodson | MW 11:30am - 1:20pm | THO 211
The French language transcends Paris and the hexagonal and contemporary France. In this course, we will discuss the history of the French language, its varieties, and its expansion across time and space through a diverse repertoire, including a variety of readings (literary texts, poems, essays, news articles, etc.), films, and music. The course will also explore historical linguistic events, language ideologies and the power structures related to linguistic uses across diverse spaces. This course is taught in French. Prerequisite: FRENCH 203.
FRENCH 378 A: The Making of Contemporary France (SSc, A&H)
Professor Lamia Mezzour-Hodson | TTh 11:30-1:20pm | MEB 235
How did France become the nation it is today? Revolution, republic, rebuilding, colonization, immigration — many important events and themes come to mind when we consider contemporary France. In this course, we will delve into the pivotal events that have shaped the modern French identity and explore how they continue to influence today’s society. Looking into the intertwinement of France’s past and current socio-political discourse, we will discuss topics such as secularity, equality, diversity, and belonging. We will examine how these concepts intersect with France’s historical, political, and cultural landscapes through an analysis of diverse material, including historical, political, and literary texts, comic strips, caricatures, as well as films and documentaries. This course is open to all. All readings, discussions, and assignments will be in English. French majors and minors may opt for readings and assignments in French.
FRENCH 441 A: Quebecois Literature (A&H, DIV)
Professor Hedwige Meyer | TTh 1:30pm - 3:20pm | DEN 156
Quebecois novels, short stories, and poetry from both indigenous and non-indigenous authors. Emphasis on francophone First Nations writers in context of their history and cultures. Attention to authors' representation of the land and how it shapes their characters' identities. Includes Quebecois films. In French. Prerequisite: FRENCH 303. Offered: jointly with JSIS A 441.