Peuple and Propaganda: Representing the French Revolution

Code

MLAC3142

School

Modern Languages and Cultures

Level

3

Credits

20

Semesters

Full Year UK

Summary

This module takes as its focus one of the most significant, dramatic and complex moments in the history of France. The French Revolution has been subject to many different interpretations and re-interpretations over the last two centuries, and in this module we will be seeking to analyse it through the various forms of artistic works and cultural artefacts it produced cartoons, political speeches, journalism, drama, portraiture, song, and festivals. Students will be introduced to key aspects of the Revolution as a historical period through lectures and the set English-language history text; seminars will be devoted to analysis and discussion of a variety of works taken from key moments in the period. We will study the ways in which contemporary events and ideas were reflected in these works, analyse the notion of politically engaged arts, and consider questions of cultural administration such as representation and censorship.

In addition to the works studied in the seminars, students will be able to explore the wide range of material from the period now available online through research projects such as the French Revolution Digital Archive and the Waddesdon Manor Tableaux de la Revolution; students will also be given the opportunity to consult and examine texts from the Revolutionary period during a visit to the university's Manuscripts and Special Collections at King's Meadow campus.


 

Target Students

Only available to students taking MLAC3082 French 3.

Co-requisites

Modules you must take in the same academic year, or have taken in a previous year, to enrol in this module:

• French 3 (MLAC3082)

Classes

• One 1-hour seminar each week for 20 weeks
• One 1-hour lecture each week for 20 weeks

The School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies operates an attendance policy. The details of this policy can be found in the student handbook on Workspace and in module handbooks. Activities may take place in every teaching week of the Semester or only in specified weeks. It is usually specified above if an activity only takes place in some weeks of a Semester

Assessment

• 40% Coursework 1: Coursework 1 - essay of between 1,800 and 2,200 words
• 60% Coursework 2: Coursework 2 - essay of between 2,700 and 3,300 words

Assessed in both autumn & spring semest

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

A. Knowledge and understanding: A student completing this module will have been given the opportunity to develop detailed knowledge and a critical understanding of the following areas:

• The literature, culture and history of the French Revolution (A4);

• The specific problems raised by the literature of the period and the historic and philosophical background of the age (A4);

• Techniques of literary and textual analysis appropriate to the study of the period (A5);

B. Intellectual skills. A student completing this module will have been given the opportunity to learn how to:

• Undertake close textual analysis of literary texts, and basic analysis of images and short extracts of musical material (B1)

• Make critical use of primary and secondary written source material (B2);

• Develop an understanding of complex ideas in their socio-historical context (B3);

• Engage in independent study and research (B4);

• Engage in critical and analytic reflection and form judgements on the basis of ideas acquired through B1-4 (B5);

• Express ideas clearly and effectively in the context of a well-constructed argument (B6);

• Engage in exchanges of ideas with others, giving due weight to their opinions (B7);

C. Professional/practical skills. A student completing this module will have been given the opportunity to learn how to:

• Understand, process and express complex ideas (C3);

• Read and critically evaluate sophisticated texts in French (C1,C3);

• Articulate and apply principles of literary criticism and textual and linguistic analysis (C4);

• Work independently with images, music and written source materials in both French and English and process the results of research (C5);

• Present work in conformity with academic conventions (C6);

D. Transferable/key skills. A student completing this module will have been given the opportunity to learn how to:

• Effective communication of information and ideas in appropriate registers of both oral and written English (D1);

• Gathering, processing and critically evaluating material from a variety of sources (D2);

• Definition of problems and construction of strategies for their solution (D3);

• Working productively independently (D4);

• Effective organisation of time and work programmes in order to meet deadlines (D7);

• Effective use of IT as a means of communication, presentation and learning (D8);

• General personal skills: self-reliance, flexibility, initiative, self-confidence (D10).

Conveners

• Dr Rebecca Ford