Listed in: French, as FREN-346
Formerly listed as: FREN-46
Laure A. Katsaros (Section 01)
Images of childhood have become omnipresent in our culture. We fetishize childhood as an idyllic time, preserved from the difficulties and compromises of adult life; but the notion that children’s individual lives are worth recording is a relatively modern one. Drawing from literature, children's literature, history, and art, we will try to map out the journey from the idea of childhood as a phase to be outgrown to the modern conception of childhood as a crucial moment of self-definition. We will pay particular attention to the nature against nurture debate and to gender biases in education. We will discuss theories of child-rearing, the emergence of children’s literature, and the material culture of childhood (e.g., clothes, toys, children's books).
Readings will include essays by historians of childhood such as Philippe Ariès, Elisabeth Badinter and Colin Heywood; selections from Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s treatise, Émile, ou de l' Éducation, as well as excerpts from Félicité de Genlis's Adèle et Théodore, ou Lettres sur l'éducation, and from Henriette Campan's De l'éducation. We will also read a physician's account of the "wild child" known as Victor, Dr. Jean Itard's Mémoire sur l'enfant sauvage de l'Aveyron; La petite Fadette by George Sand [Aurore Dupin]; Les Malheurs de Sophie by the Comtesse de Ségur; selected poems by Baudelaire and Rimbaud; and Jules Renard's autobiographical Poil de Carotte. This course will also closely examine eighteenth- and nineteenth-century artists' visions of childhood, with a particular emphasis on female artists such as Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, Marguerite Gérard, and Berthe Morisot. Conducted in French.
Class materials will include books, articles, and films. The class will be taught synchronously in person with the instructor participating via zoom. We will make extensive use of collaborative platforms, such as Google Docs and online annotating tools, to enhance student participation, encourage the development of critical skills, and foster discussion.
Requisite: One of the following—FREN 207, 208 or the equivalent. Fall semester. Professor Katsaros.
Section 01
M 12:30 PM - 01:50 PM ONLI ONLI
W 12:30 PM - 01:50 PM ONLI ONLI
This is preliminary information about books for this course. Please contact your instructor or the Academic Coordinator for the department, before attempting to purchase these books.
| ISBN | Title | Publisher | Author(s) | Comment | Book Store | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Petite Fadette | GF Flammarion | George Sand [Aurore Dupin] | Amherst Books | TBD | ||
| Victor de l'Aveyron | Allia | Jean Itard | Comment: | Amherst Books | TBD |
These books are available locally at Amherst Books.