French Cultural Studies: Criticism at the Crossroads FROM THE PUBLISHER
French Cultural Studies provides a theoretical framework for reconsidering the domain of knowledge and expertise traditionally associated with the discipline of French. The contributors accompany their analysis of a wide variety of topics in French and Francophone Studies with a spirit of critical self-awareness that continually challenges traditional disciplinary boundaries. Ranging from a reevaluation of Baudelaire's poetic interlude in the Mascarene Islands to a discussion of Patrick Chamoiseau's fictional blueprint for Caribbean resistance, these essays address the theoretical and pedagogical implications of redefining French Studies as an interdisciplinary field, while providing practical examples of the kind of criticism that such a shift would entail.
SYNOPSIS
Provides an analysis of a wide variety of topics in French and Francophone Studies, including a revaluation of Baudelaire's poetic interlude in the Mascarene Islands, Patrick Chamoiseau's fictional blueprint for Caribbean resistance, rap music in French cultural studies, and the politics of writing in French in Northern Africa. Essays discuss the theoretical and pedagogical implications of redefining French Studies as an interdisciplinary field by providing practical examples of the kind of criticism such a shift entails. The 15 contributors are primarily from the fields of French, Francophone studies, and comparative literature. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR