CIEE Certificate of Achievement in International Studies
Council Study Center, Rennes, France
Spring 2003
Week 1: Self-Reflection
“Know thyself.” Personal identity and the metacultural: social background, political views, spiritual beliefs, value system, sexuality, questions of identity.
“Americans are...” Stereotypes of Americans & clichés of American culture. How American culture is viewed in 2003: economics, politics,
The historical development of the nation as a first step towards explaining your fatherland to others.
2 important traits: entrepreneurial spirit & Puritanism.
Homework: Start a journal in which you focus on your experience in France. Focus on daily life and start to look for apparent cultural differences, incidents where you feel uncomfortable as a foreigner, things that make you feel good / bad about the French, good / bad about being an American, etc.
In addition, answer the following questions and be prepared to discuss: As an American: What are you most proud of? What are you embarrassed about? What was hardest to leave behind? How do you think Americans are perceived by the French?
Read Kohls pp 9-15, 39-43
Other possible sources for discussion: “Bowling for Columbine” which we saw during orientation week & “American Beauty” [1]
Week 2: Expectations
Expectations you have of yourself in the US
Expectations you have of yourself in France
Your own strength & weaknesses
Expectations you have of this program
Expectations you have for this course
Homework: Make a list of personal goals for yourself during your stay in France. Take the list of skills that we examined during the orientation meeting and prepare for discussion. Read Kohls pp 109-111; 51-53.
Week 3: Defining Culture
Objective / subjective perspective (the portrait of the old / young woman in Kohls)
A working definition of culture
Culture Shock and confronting / adapting to / mastering a host culture
Tools for observation / analysis / description
Homework: For next week’s assignment, interview your host family and at least 3 other French people about how they would define their own culture. Ask them to list their strengths & weaknesses, what they like about France and being French.
Read Kohls pp 25-30; 83-90 & Asselin & Mastron pp 33-40.
Week 4: France
Stereotypes from a US point of view
Stereotypes that other countries might have of France
Defining French culture. What is taught in the US? What stands out as the salient features now that you are here?
Evolution of US views on France from WW II till present.
The French defining their own culture.
Using the Kluckhohn model, where does France fit in? Compared to the US?
Homework: Interview other CIREFE students on stereotypes that they might have of France. Are their similarities? Differences? Do stereotypes also reflect on the person’s culture who holds such views? Read Kohls pp 31-38; 150-151.
Week 5: Formal Analysis of Cultural Differences
Compare the following in the US and France:
Time (Platt pp 47-55)
Friendships (Asselin & Mastron pp 79-91)
School (Asselin & Mastron pp 71-77)
Parents / Children (Carroll pp 40-57)
“High Context / Low Context” cultures (Platt pp 202-205)
Homework: Read excerpts that I will have distributed on Week 4 from Polly Platt; Raymonde Carroll; & Gilles Asselin & Ruth Mastron.
Week 6: Case Study
Analysis of another foreign country where you do not speak the language
Non-Verbal communication
Cues: public transportation, urban planning, billboards, fashion, children, etc.
Tools: anthropology, sociology, metalinguistic
Homework: During Spring break, you will hopefully have the chance to go to another European country. I would like you to spend an hour or two one afternoon observing the foreign culture to see what you can learn about the country. You will process the experience much like you did for France: Stereotypes you might have had before, their political system or any other distinguishing feature. If you befriend someone from the country, don’t hesitate to ask them how they define themselves, their culture, country. (I will provide several handouts including Kohls pp 59-61 & 69-73.)
Week 7: Linguistic Analysis
The way the language is taught / used in France in relationship to how it is taught in the US
Do Americans have the same relationship to the English language?
Differences in education system
“La rigueur” and the notion of pure French
Role of the Académie Française in monitoring the French language
Contemporary uses of French: slang, rap, e-mail, “les textos” or SMS
Homework: Try to find at least one of your CIREFE professors and then at least one person outside of the academic setting and interview them about their feelings on the French language: do they consider it a beautiful language, how important is accuracy, is it difficult for foreigners to learn, how do they feel about regional accents, etc.? Ask your host family or friends to teach you some slang expressions and be sure to find out in which contexts these can be used. How does your family / friends feel about the use of Breton language?
Week 8: Contemporary Issues in France
La laïcité: secularism and the current debate about religion & culture
“bleu / blanc / beur”: the ’98 World Cup and the implications of multiculturalism
Assimilation and cultural diversity
The concept of “l’homme universel” from the French Revolution to present
Homework: View the film “Ressources Humaines” by Laurent Cantet for discussion. (I will make the DVD available.) Find a recent newspaper article that deals with either race or religion problems in France and present during discussion.
In addition to weekly meetings and class readings:
1. Maintenance of A Journal
Format: Students maintain a reflective journal throughout the semester, where they document their activities and experiences related to their goals (plus any additional events and pertinent issues that are bound to arise).
Task: Students write in their journals, at minimum, three times a week.
Journals will be collected by the Resident Director and read three or four times during the semester. The RD will use the content of the entries to initiate group discussion on how the students are progressing with their understanding of the host culture.
2. Submission of a “Critical Incident”
Format: At some stage during the semester, students are likely to experience something that makes them realize that they are definitely not in the U.S.A. – a “critical incident.” It may be something that makes them feel uncomfortable, is humorous, or is just a completely different way of doing something.
Task: Students submit a one-page reflective discussion essay about the “critical incident.”
3. Submission and Oral Presentation of a Final Paper
Format: A written paper (3-5 pages, typed), analyzing the similarities and differences between the United States and France, in terms of Law, Art, Education, Sport, Media, Indigenous Culture, Architecture, Language, Cars, Public Transportation, etc. (Just choose a few of these topics to focus on.) In addition, students may choose submit a poster project (e.g., an annotated collage of photographs, artifacts, etc.) for an oral presentation. The students give brief presentations on their papers, which form a good basis for a final discussion during the Evaluation and Re-entry discussions at the end of the semester. Students will also receive individual feedback on their work. Both the paper and the presentation will be completed a couple weeks prior to regular program final exams.
Task: Students submit a paper/poster that reflects on their experiences in the host culture.
4. End-of-Semester Review of Semester Achievements
Format: Participants meet individually with the Resident Director (+/- 15 minutes) to discuss their experiences and evaluate their achievements during the semester. In groups, discussions could take place with pairs of students. What have they learned about the host culture? How do they feel their experiences will assist them in their future careers etc.? This discussion also serves as the time that the RD gives students feedback on their final paper.
Task: Towards the end of the semester, students re-read the goals they set during orientation, and provide a brief report on how they feel they fared and/or progressed. The report should be submitted to the RD before the individual review meetings.
[1] Note: I will introduce occasional readings / films / cultural events during the semester that you will do individually or in group.