116-213 French Travel Writing

116-133 French I: Cultural Perspectives and 116-134 French I: Language in Context II or equivalent. European studies students wishing to enrol in this subject would normally have completed first-year European studies, see Prerequisites.

This subject examines the trends in theory and practice of French travel writing. Focusing mainly on contemporary texts but also referring to classical French travel literature, it introduces students to a wide range of fictional and non-fictional travel narratives in French set in various geographical locations. Students will study theoretical, anthropological, philosophical and literary texts in this field, and consult the lectures and conference papers in French from the audio library of the Centre for Research on Travel Literature's web site, to develop a sound understanding of the intercultural, (post)colonial and geopolitical issues that may be presented through travel writing. The course materials and texts will be organised according to geographical regions. Beginning with French writings on European travel, we will work our way around the five continents, through Africa and the Arab World, Asia, the Americas and the Pacific and Oceanic regions. On completion of this subject, students should be able to perform theoretical and textual analysis of French travel writing drawing upon aspects of utopianism, cosmopolitanism, exoticism, imperialism, postcolonialism, feminism and/or ethnography in literature, to appreciate and demonstrate the complexities of this genre. This subject is taught in French.

A classpaper in French (20 minutes) subsequently written up (1500 words) based upon a recorded lecture chosen from the above mentioned website, and a comparative essay of 2500 words in French.

Materials prepared by the department.