Ethnic Neighborhood Report

Self-guided discovery / Ethnic neighborhood report
(oral and written) (10%)

In groups of three or four students maximum, choose one cluster of addresses below and pick three addresses to visit within the cluster. The places you visit may be large or small, the employees and / or volunteers may or may not speak English, but this is part of the discovery activity—to gather information in an environment with which you are totally unfamiliar. If you do not have a Paris street guide, there is a map of the immediate area at each metro stop which will allow you to find the streets indicated. At each location, look for written materials to take along with you and do not be afraid to ask questions or to explain to those on-site what the goal of your course is. You will write up your findings in TWO pages and your group will also present your discoveries (and adventures) to the class on January 6th at 4 p.m.

Cluster 1: The Maghreb (North Africa)

Centre Culturel Algérien (Algerian Cultural Center)

171 rue de la Croix-Nivert, metro : Felix-Faure, Mon. – Sat. 9-17h30 or evenings with special exhibits

Nina Bazar

35 boulevard de Belleville, metro : Belleville, Tues – Sat. 9h30 to 19h30 (Arab market)

Deux mille et une nuits

13 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, metro : Saint-Paul, everyday from 11-19h30 (upscale Arab clothing/ goods—Moroccan influence)

Cluster 2 : The Mashrek: representative countries: Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria (if you choose this cluster, do not make all three visits to Egyptian sites alone)

Egypt :

Centre Culturel d’Egypte (Egyptian Cultural Center)
111 boulevard Saint-Michel, metro : Luxembourg, Mon. – Fri. 10-19h

Quartier de la Foire au Caire

Place, passage, et rue du Caire, rue d’Aboukir, rue de Domiette, metro: Réamur-Sebastopol, weekdays and Saturday from 11-2 p.m.
(entire Eygptian-influenced neighborhood from 1798—although the neighborhood is no longer Egyptian, it will not take you long to discover its Egyptian roots—in particular, look at the facade at 2, place du Caire and enter the passageway)

Maison d’Egypte (Egypt House)
132 ave du Maine, metro: Gaité, Mon. – Sat. 10-2 and 3-7

Lebanon :

Eglise Maronite Notre-Dame du Liban
15-17 rue d’Ulm, metro : Luxembourg

Syria :

Centre Culturel arabe syrien (Arab-Syrian Cultural Center)
12 rue de Tourville, metro : Ecole Militaire, Mon. – Thurs. 10-6, Friday, 10-3

Cluster 3: Kurdistan, Turkey, and Armenia :

Kurdistan :
Institut Kurde (Kurdish Institute)
106 rue LaFayette, back courtyard, metro : Poissonière, Mon-Fri. 9h30-6:30 and Sat. 2-6.

Centre culturel kurde Ahmet Kaya
16 rue d’Enghien, metro : Strasbourg-Sain-Denis, everyday 10-19h

Turkey:
Eglise du Saint-Esprit
186 avenue Daumesnil, metro: Daumesnil (replica of the Aya Sofia mosque in Istanbul)

Ottomania
14 rue Charles V, metro: Saint-Paul, Tues-Fri. 11-19h, Saturday 14h-19h (Turkish bazaar)

Armenia:
Maison de la culture arménienne (House of Armenian Culture)
17 rue Bleue, metro : Cadet (various activities and hours)

Cluster 4: Iran:

Centre Culturel Pouya
48 bis quai de Jemmapes, metro: République, everyday from 10-22h (independent, secular center for Persian arts)

Centre culturel iranien (Iranian cultural center)
6 rue Jean-Béart, metro : Saint-Sulpice, Mon.-Sat. 15h-19h

Artisanat d’Iran (Iranian artistic goods)
28 rue Gay-Lussac, metro : Luxembourg, Mon-Sat. 10h-19h30.

Cluster 5: Sub-Saharan Africa :

Notre Dame des Buttes-Chaumont
80 rue de Meaux, metro : Bolivar, every day with special Kimbangu services on Sundays from 15h-17h (Kimbangu is an African Christian group originating from Congo-Kinshasa and Angola)

As-Art

3 Passage du Grand-cerf, Metro: Etienne Marcel, Tues. – Sat. 11h30-19h30 (African furniture and housewares)

CSAO

3 (boutique) and 15 (art gallery) rue Elzévir, metro :Saint-Paul, Mon.-Sat. 11-19h and Sunday 14-19 (boutique only)

Espace Reine de Saba (Cultural Center of Yemen and Ethiopia)

30 rue Pradier, metro: Buttes-Chaumont or Pyrénées, Tues. thru Sunday 14h-19h, opens at 11 on Saturdays

Maison d’Ethiopie (Ethiopia House)
19 rue Copreaux, Metro: Volontaires, Tues. to Sun. From 11 to 19h

Cluster 6 : Tibet :

Bureau du Tibet et Maison du Tibet (Official office of Tibetan government in exile and Culture center)

84 boulevard Adolphe Pinard, metro : Malakoff-Plateau de Vanves

La Maison de l’Indochine (Cultural Center for Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia)

76 rue Bonaparte, Metro : Saint-Sulpice, Mon. to Sat. from 10-19h

Galerie de la Maison du Viêt-nam (Vietnamese art market)
28 rue des Bernardins, metro : Maubert-Mutualité, Mon. to Sat. 11-19h

Cluster 7 : India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan :

Sri Manika Vinayakar Alayam (Very friendly Hindu temple—you must leave shoes at the door)

72 rue du Philippe-de-Girard, metro : Max Dormoy, everyday from 9h30-20h30

Centre Mandapa (Indian cultural center)

6 rue Wurtz, metro : Glacière, Mon. to Sat. 11-19h

New Shamina Super Market (Indian bazaar)

184 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, metro : La Chapelle, Mon-Sat. 10h-20h.

VT Cash and Carry (Indian supermarket)

15 rue Cail, metro: La Chapelle, 9-9 p.m everyday but Monday

Ganesha Corner (Indian and Sri Lankan bakery, snackshop, and restaurant)
16 rue Perdonnet, Metro: La Chapelle

Note : The Pakistani neighborhoods can be found in the Rue de Jarry (metro: Gare de l’Est) and the Passage Brady (metro : Strasbourg Saint-Denis). You may also choose one or both of these sites for this cluster.

ASSIGNMENTS and JOURNAL TOPICS

ASSIGNMENTS: Note—In addition to the journal topics below, you must also add three author interviews and a self-discovery activity (please see syllabus description).

Final exam is on a separate sheet and is open book, open notes.

Journal topics. Answers should be thoughtful and avoid excess summarization of the readings (number of handwritten pages indicated are a minimum). You should provide specific examples from the activities and readings covered. If turned in after the end of the course, typed copies should be submitted as you will need to send those electronically.

Saturday, 12-30 and Tuesday, 1-2. In TWO pages, give your general impressions of the African and Arab immigrant neighborhoods of Paris. Does Beyala give an accurate description of Belleville and Paris in her novel? Explain. How do these neighborhoods compare with immigrant communities you have seen in the United States? Are there problems evident here? Any positive observations? During this visit, did you at anytime feel you stood out as a “foreigner”. Explain.

Sunday, 12-31. ONE page. Choose one exhibit at the Musée Dapper and explain your impressions of the art form. Are you surprised by the representation? Even if you are inexperienced at art appreciation, study closely the object and describe the message it conveys through its shapes, lines, colors, forms, materials, etc.

Tuesday, 1-2. In TWO pages, consider these questions during the lecture of anthropologist, Paul Vieille:

a) The notion of community has precise meanings but it is often used in a generic way that reveals nonetheless ideological undertones (i.e. communitarianism). Explain.

b) How is the French term “communauté” defined? An the English term “community”?
And communitarianism?

c) The Western state and communities: What is the relationship between secularism and community? How is the Lebanese state defined?

d) In terms of class struggle, what is the role of community?

e) At what point do notions of identity and community resurface in French society? Explain.

f) Is the suburban population divided into communities? What societal relationships are characteristic of this population?

Wednesday, 1-3: In TWO pages, comment on the following: From what you learned by visiting the Mosque, what would you say is the biggest obstacle hindering the total acceptance of the Muslim community into traditional French society? What needs to be done to overcome such an obstacle and do you foresee a solution in the near future? What do the two communities have in common? In your opinion, should France recognize polygamous marriages in the Muslim community and should co-wives and children be eligible for the same government benefits as monogamous couples? Explain.
AND

In TWO pages, comment on the following: Look at the outside of the Institut du Monde Arabe and give your interpretation of the architectural style and message of its design. (Be sure to look at the windows closely from the inside looking out as well). Once you have entered, choose one exhibit in the institute and give your impressions of the object, similar to what you had done at the Musée Dapper.
AND

In TWO pages, elaborate on the words of Madeleine Aba, her relationship as a Parisian with her Algerian writer / husband, Noureddine Aba since the 1940s, and their sense of activism as a couple.

Thursday, 1-4 and Sunday, 1-7. In ONE page, discuss how the prevalence of African and Middle Eastern dance in Paris adds to the cultural landscape of the city. What did you personally learn from these two sessions?

Friday, 1-5: The MacVal was opened a year ago, the first modern art museum in the suburbs and the first of its kind to celebrate ALL artists with some connection to France (through birth, immigration, expatriate status, etc.) In TWO pages, explain the importance of a museum like the MacVal in the suburbs, and find one exhibit that particularly relates to the theme of this course and explain that piece of art.
AND

Author interview with Etel Ednan.

Saturday, 1-6: In TWO pages, describe the findings of your self-discovery activity. (You will also present this to the class today).

AND

Author interview with Evelyne Accad.

Sunday, 1-7: In ONE page, tell what draws this diverse group of worshippers to this church and describe your own observations of the interactions of the congregation.

Monday, 1-8: In TWO pages, compare what you hear in the media and in the city about the perceptions of the youth of the ‘banlieue’ and what actually goes on in the housing developments as explained by the activists running the Women’s Association of Franc-Moisin.

Tuesday, 1-9: In THREE pages, and after having used the same set of questions for all three schools, compare and contrast the student reactions to your questions. Do you believe that the immigrant students you have witnessed at the schools have integrated well into French life? Does it seem that some immigrants have integrated better than others? What accounts for such differences, in your opinion? Compare the students’ perspectives of the immigrant experience and multiculturalism at Lycée Paul Valéry, ETSL, and Lycée Louis-le-Grand. Do you believe social class influences the opinions of students? Choose at least one interesting comment from each group of students and discuss your personal reaction to each.

Friday, 1-12: Author interview with Thérèse Kuoh-Moukoury.

Saturday, 1-13: In TWO pages, explain if you notice any differences between the Asian neighborhood and the Arab and African neighborhoods. In France and in other Western cultures, it has been said that Asians are the “privileged minority”. While Westerns see this as a “compliment”, Asians are often insulted by this appellation. Explain.

Sunday, 1-14: In ONE page, give your general impressions of the course experience. What was your favorite part of the course? What was surprising to you? Did you have any opinions before the trip that have changed with this experience? Did you find Francophone literature to be vastly differ from Western European or American literature or how is it the same?

FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS

FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS (To be completed as essays – two paragraphs minimum).

(open book, open notes)

Loukoum (Choose three of the five)

1. Describe how the article “Polygamy, Disrupted Reproduction, and the State: Muslim Migrants in Paris” relates to Loukoum’s family. Give a specific example within in your answer.

2. Describe how the article “African Women Eliminating Borders” is applicable to Soumana and M’am. Give a specific example from the novel.

3. Choose one of Abdou’s letters (Loukoum’s father) that is particularly thoughtful. Explain how the traditional role of the African male is in direct conflict with life in France.

4. Does Beyala’s description of Loukoum suggest a positive or negative outlook for France’s immigrant youth as they become adults? Explain.

5. Evaluate the intentions of the French social worker, Madame Saddock. Are such social services a help or a hindrance to the African immigrant community?

Essential Encounters (choose two of four)

1. Encouraging a relationship to develop between Joël and Doris, Flo jokes that she is merely following African tradition whereby a woman could chose a second wife for her husband. She soon finds her plan is no laughing matter. Explain why this once acceptable tradition can no longer work in contemporary African society.

2. Besides the situation mentioned in question #1, what other conflicts can tradition impose upon the modern African couple? Give examples from the novel.

3. What is the purpose of adding the character of Zimba to the novel? What does she represent?

4. Analyze the characters of either Flo or Doris in the novel. Are these portraits of strong women or weak women? Explain your answer thoroughly.

Sabra and Chatila / Montjoie Palestine!

1. Explain what happened in Sabra and Chatila.

2. What is the meaning of the expression ‘Montjoie, Palestine!’

3. How do these two prose poems relate to current world events in the Middle East? Why do you think these issues are of interest to French society?

Coquelicot du massacre / Poppy from the Massacre

1. What is the symbolism of ‘poppy’ and ‘massacre’ and how do these symbolisms feed into the overall meaning of the title?

2. How can you relate personally to some of the characters in the novel, Najmé in particular?

3. How are the events that occurred in Lebanon this past summer reminiscent of events in the novel which was written in 1988?

Sitt Marie-Rose / “To Write in a Foreign Language” / Paris When its Naked
(Choose two of the first three, then complete question 4 and 5.)

1. On page 55 of the novel, comment on two ideas expressed: “It’s violence that accelerates the progress of a people” and “Love is a supreme violence”.

2. Why is Sitt Marie-Rose such a threat to her captors? How is it that she is
perceived as an enemy? Explain.

3. In the first two paragraphs, Adnan takes a critical look at Islam and Christianity in Lebanon. However, can this be conceived as a criticism of religion solely in that country? Are there any universals in that criticism? Does the criticism lie with the practices, the texts, or with the followers?

4. Compare “To Write in a Foreign Language” with the experience of other authors or protagonists studied in the course. What implications does language choice have on an author?

5. Choose an excerpt from Paris When it’s Naked which you personally can see in the city of Paris. In addition, is there something that seems strange or inaccurate to you in Adnan’s description? Explain.

Schedule of Activities

The schedule of activities is as follows but is subject to change without notice in order to accommodate invited guests of the course. Times here account for travel as well. Your assignments may be handwritten if you do them while in Paris . If you wish to type your assignments, you have until January 22nd to turn all assignments in by email or by regular mail. Please note that due to the registrar’s schedule, students may receive a ‘M’ (missing grade) or ‘I’ (incomplete) which will be changed by the instructor once work is received. Keep in mind that it is imperative that you at least take notes throughout the entire course, especially after every class experience. The registrar is highly opposed to long-term incompletes.

Pre-departure: Orientation and pre-departure meetings.

Thursday, Dec. 28, Leave for Paris

Friday, Dec. 29, arrival in Paris , on-site orientations.

Saturday, Dec. 30, 10-2. Meet in lobby of FIAP at 10 a.m. Sociological study of Barbès, the Marché Déjean, the African immigrant neighborhoods of Paris , and the Parc des Buttes Chaumont. Bring maps in course packet. Finish Loukoum in packet and read articles “Polygamy, Disrupted Reproduction, and the State: Muslim Migrants in Paris ”, and “African Women Eliminating Borders”.

Sunday, Dec. 31, 3-5 pm. Visit to the Musée Dapper, art appreciation activity. 35 rue Paul Valéry. Métro: Victor Hugo or Charles de Gaulle-Etoile.

Monday, Jan. 1. FREE

Tuesday, Jan. 2: Meet at FIAP at 9:30-11 a.m. Sociological study of Belleville and the market (métro Couronnes).

AND

Cocktail party at the FIAP at 6 pm

AND

7-9 p.m. Discussion with anthropologist Paul Vieille at the FIAP. Room TBA. Lecture/Debate on Immigration and Ethnicities. Read Maillard article “The Muslims in France and the French Model of Integration”

(Discovery activity opportunity during the day)

Wednesday, Jan. 3 10:30-3 p.m. Visit of the Grande Mosquée de Paris (Place du Puits de l’Ermite, métro: Monge). Souk and tearoom after tour, followed by the Institut du Monde Arabe (métro: Jussieu) for art appreciation activity. Read: "The Muslims of France ".

AND

5-7 p.m. Discussion of C’était hier Sabra et Chatila and Montjoie, Palestine ! with Madeleine Aba at the FIAP. Room TBA.

Thursday, Jan. 4: 2-3:30 OR 3:30-5 pm. Centre de Danse du Marais for course on African dance with renowned instructor from Congo , Lucky Zebila. (41 rue du Temple , métro: Hôtel de Ville.) Athletic attire suggested. Shoes are not worn in the studio. (Please see sign-up sheets to confirm your session).

( Opportunity for Discovery activity during the day)

Friday, Jan. 5: Leave FIAP at 10 a.m. MacVal Museum , Visit to the MacVal, contemporary art museum of the suburbs. Line n°7 direction Mairie d’Ivry, get off at station, Porte de Choisy. Then bus n°183 direction Orly Terminal Sud. Stop: Moulin de Saquet-Pelletan (directly in front of museum).

AND

Visit of Etel Adnan at FIAP. Read Sitt Marie-Rose and excerpts in packet of Paris When its Naked, “To Write in a Foreign Language”, and “The Body and the City—Evelyne Accad and Etel Adnan’s Beirut ”.

Saturday, Jan. 6: 4-7 p.m. at FIAP. Presentation of self-discovery activity and THEN discussion of Evelyne Accad’s Poppy from the Massacre. Read also “ Beirut , The City that Moves Me”, and “A Lebanese Anguishes from Paris ”.

Sunday, Jan. 7: 10-11:30 or 11:30-1 p.m. AND 1:30-7 pm. Middle Eastern dance at Sun City , metro Guy Môquet. Both men and women should bring a long scarf that can be tied around the waste. Women should wear a long skirt or leggings. Shoes are not worn in the studio. Lunch at Lebanese restaurant for 1:30, metro: Victor Hugo. Proceed as a group for sociological study at a multicultural church in Saint-Denis.

Monday, Jan. 8: 10:15 am to 12:15 pm AND 2 to 7 pm. Visit to Lycée Paul Valéry and discussion with French students and their instructor, Monique Hartman (38 boulevard Soult: métro Porte Dorée). Bring magazines or newspapers in English to distribute to students and also samples of American snacks to share with French students who will be doing the same.

AND

Visit to Women’s Immigrant Association in Saint-Denis (Femmes du Franc-Moisin).

Tuesday, Jan. 9: 8-10 am OR 11 to noon AND everyone from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Lycée Louis-le-Grand. Discussion of pertinent social issues with French students and their instructor, Françoise Séquestra-Karo. Formal reception to follow. Appropriate attire required (no jeans).

AND

Visit to Technical Lycée for discussion of pertinent social issues with students and their instructors Hassen Hadjadj, Isabelle Thery, and Yves Simon. 95 rue du Dessous des Berges, metro: Bibliothèque.

Please bring magazines or newspapers in English to distribute for all students.
7 p.m. Welcome dinner at the FIAP for our group.

Wednesday, Jan. 10: FREE

Thursday, Jan. 11: FREE

Friday, Jan. 12: 5-7 pm. Meeting at FIAP with Cameroonian author Thérèse Kuoh-Moukoury. Discussion of Essential Encounters.

Saturday, Jan. 13: 10 am at FIAP. Visit of the Vietnamese neighborhood. Discuss Linda Le’s Slander. Visit to the Vietnamese / Asian neighborhood. Lunch at Pho 14. Bring maps in packet.

Sunday, Jan. 14: Departure from the FIAP at 9:30 a.m.

Pre-Departure Journal Assignment #2

FILM: "L'Esquive"- Games of Love and Chance

Part I:

1. Where is Krimo’s father? What’s the significance of the “sailboats” in the film? What do they represent?

2. What does Krimo do in the class in order to spend more time with Lydia since she’s always
busy with working on the play?

3. Describe the confrontation between Krimo’s friend Fathi and Lydia’s friend Frida. What was the reason behind this confrontation?

4. Describe what happened in the encounter with the police. What were your reactions/feelings about it?

5. Overall, what did you think of the film?

Bonus question: What language does “Inch’Allah” come from? What’s its meaning and why do the teens use it?

Part II

Read the New York Times article entitled, "Anger Festering in FrenchAreas Scarred in Riots" and review the entry on the riots that took place last year in Paris[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_civil_unrest_in_France]. Summarize briefly the events of last year at this time. You may utilize othernewspaper articles / web resources from this year or last year.Journal Assignments should be 2 pages minimum, but may be longer, asneeded, to fully address the questions at hand. Due date is Monday,December 18th (you are encouraged to submit your journal early). Please email to the teaching assistant.

Course Packet & Books

Course Packet:
You may purchase your course packet at:
Notes-n-Quotes Johnstown Centre (6th & John St.) 217 344-4433 nnq@prodigy.net

**Students will need to buy 2 books prior to departure (e.g. on Amazon.com) and 2 books in Paris.

To be purchased before Paris:

Kuoh-Moukoury, Thérèse. Essential Encounters. Trans. And Introductory critique C. Toman. New York: MLA Texts and Translations Series, 2002.

Adnan, Etel. Sitt Marie-Rose. Sausalito: Post-Apollo Press, 1982.

The two books to be purchased in Paris are:

Accad, Evelyne. Poppy of the Massacre. (bilingual edition, Trans. and Introductory critique C. Hahn) Paris: L’Harmattan, 2006.

Aba, Noureddine. It Was Yesterday Sabra and Shatila and Montjoie Palestine! (bilingual editions) Paris: L’Harmattan, 2002.

* You will need approx. 50 euros to purchase these two books in Paris.

Pre-Departure Journal Assignment #1

a) Write about your own “culture”. This can take any direction you want, but it must be sincerely addressed.
b) Take one or more “American” value we discussed and give examples of how you’ve seen it demonstrated in American society.
If you have them, give examples of how these values have compared/conflicted with values/traditions from other cultures.

If you were not in class, you may go to the following webpage for help: (http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/educators/enrichment/culturematters/Ch2/thirteencategories.html ), however, you are not limited to this one resource. You may draw from any resource, including personal experience. While there is no “right” or “wrong” answer, well thought out, well articulated responses should be submitted by all.

Journal Assignments should be 2 pages minimum and are due by Friday, Nov. 10th. It must be submitted by e-mail to: armstead@ad.uiuc.edu.

Paris: A Multicultural Perspective / The Immigrant Experience in France

UIUC COURSES ABROAD LAS 199 Dr. Evelyne Accad
IN 350 Professor Cheryl Toman for Millikin University
January Immersion semester in Paris 2007

Dec. 28, 2006 – Jan. 14, 2007

This course will introduce students to the impact of globalization through the study of the immigrant experience in Paris, its multi-cultural identities with the negotiation of cultural beliefs and practices. They will be made aware of cultural diversity with an appreciation for others; their interest as well as their understanding of other cultures will be aroused through the celebration/appreciation of diversity, broadening their disciplinary and cultural perspective. They will improve their critical and analytical thinking through comparisons with French education versus their US experience thanks to the visit they will have in French schools and talking to French students as well as their visits to immigrant associations.

The students come to appreciate African, Asian and Arab cultures that they encounter during their stay in Paris through sampling a day-in-the-life of the protagonists from the novels. Due to the fact that these characters “come alive” through these visits, the students are likely to be more accepting and understanding of cultural differences due to the human element that has been introduced by the readings.

By the end of the course conducted in Paris, the student will have read and discussed works by prominent authors of Sub-Saharan Africa, Vietnemese and the Maghreb/Mashrek such as Aba, Accad, Adnan, Agha-Malak, Beyala, Chedid, Chraibi, Djebar, Khoury-Ghata, Kuoh-Moukoury, Labaky, Sebbar, Van Kang, Thaï and others. The students will be able to identify both literature-specific and universal themes, and will be made aware of issues that deal with women of the developing world and the Arab and African immigrant experience in particular.

The student will debate and explore issues such as feminism, racism, colonialism, independence, post-independence, polygamy, the veil, religious tolerance, the Algerian revolution, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Lebanese war, Islamism, today's Algerian situation, the Palestinian question, and other aspects of a multi-cultural society.

Students will supplement the reading of novels and articles with interviews with the authors themselves, and various other visits to artistic and cultural centers. Students will also visit French secondary schools and classes préparatoires to discuss first hand the views of France’s youth on multiculturalism and other pertinent issues during a round table format designed specifically for that purpose.

Course texts

Beyala, Calixthe. Loukoum: The Little Prince of Belleville. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 1995. (out-of-print, included in course packet)

Kuoh-Moukoury, Thérèse. Essential Encounters. Trans. And Introductory critique C. Toman. New York: MLA Texts and Translations Series, 2002.

Adnan, Etel. Sitt Marie-Rose. Sausalito: Post-Apollo Press, 1982.

“A Lebanese Anguishes from Paris” by Evelyne Accad followed by a word from Ezza Egha Malak.

Paris When It’s Naked (excerpts) by Etel Adnan, 1993 (in course packet)

Accad, Evelyne. Poppy of the Massacre. (bilingual edition, Trans. and Introductory critique C. Hahn) Paris: L’Harmattan, 2006.

Aba, Noureddine. It Was Yesterday Sabra and Shatila and Montjoie Palestine! (bilingual editions) Paris: L’Harmattan, 2002.

Slander (excerpts) by Linda Lê, 1996 (in course packet)

Articles and Essays, (in course packet)

“Polygamy, Disrupted Reproduction, and the State: Muslim Migrants in Paris, France” by Carolyn Sargent and Dennis Cordell (2002)

“African Women Eliminating Borders” by Cheryl Toman (2004)

“Beirut, The City that Moves Me” by Evelyne Accad (2002)

“To Write in a Foreign Language” by Etel Adnan (1996)

“The Body and the City—Evelyne Accad and Etel Adnan’s Beirut” by Zohreh Sullivan (2006)

“The Muslims in France and the French Model of Integration” by Dominique Maillard (2005)

"The Muslims of France" by Milton Viorst (1996)

Orientation

There will be several meetings prior to departure**, work sessions for the students with the director and with the assistant. These sessions are meant to prepare them to their experience and class in Paris: practical information, logistics, introduction to what they can expect, questions and answers. When they arrive in Paris, there will be more orientation at the FIAP (the Foyer International, place where they will be staying) from the personnel there and also from the director and assistant.

Grading

25% Journal

25% Interviews with authors/scholars

10% Self-guided ethnic neighborhood report (oral and written)

20% Participation, attendance, prepared activities, orientation.

20% Final exam

Journals

Students will be responsible for writing their reflections in essays of two pages minimum per day. Journals will include both guided and free writing exercises based on the course activities. Within these journal assignments, you will also write on our visit with English classes and their instructors at three very diverse schools in Paris. During the visits at these lycées, students should have various questions in mind to ask their French counterparts. Questions should be related to the themes of the course, and the various responses will be recorded in the journal assignments for that particular day. It is also to be expected that American students will respond frankly and thoughtfully to any questions the French students may have for them as well. The purpose of the exchange is to promote understanding and to identify cultural parallels.

Lycée visits

During the visits at the lycées, students should have various questions in mind to ask their French counterparts. Questions should be related to the themes of the course, and the various responses will be recorded in the journal assignments for that particular day. It is also expected that American students will respond frankly and thoughtfully to any questions the French students may have for them as well. The purpose of the exchange is to promote understanding and to identify cultural parallels.

Interviews with authors

Students are expected to formulate three questions to be asked during the session with the authors: Accad, a prominent Arab novelist / scholar writing on Arab women, Kuoh-Moukoury, the first woman novelist of Sub-Saharan Africa, and Adnan, a highly acclaimed Lebanese writer. Questions should be thought provoking and perhaps question a certain interpretation of the reading. Questions and answers are to then be summarized in a report form.
Self-guided ethnic neighborhood report
Self-guided ethnic neighborhood report (oral and written): The course allows us to cover in depth only the largest immigrant communities in Paris. Therefore, one day of the course will be set aside for students to discover in groups of three or four certain other ethnic communities in Paris by visiting locations frequented by members of the Turkish, Kurdish, Indian, Egyptian, Armenian, Iranian, Congolese, and Tibetan communities among others. Each discovery will include three or four addresses provided by the instructors. Students are responsible the following day to report on their research to the class. A written report is also to be included in the final paper.

Participation

Students must attend every class. Each absence will result in a significant reduction and missed assignments. Students are also expected to participate rigorously in any discussions and activities. Students who miss more than two class sessions automatically receive a grade of “F”.

Final Exam

An essay-style exam based on the material covered in the course, and interpretation and analysis of the readings. Course material may be consulted to complete the exam.

//**Pre-Departure Class Meetings:

Our Paris meetings :

Saturday, Oct. 7th Orientation, Meet the Professor for the course. Lucy Ellis Lounge.

Friday, Oct. 20th 2:45pm- 3:15pm (Make up meeting for those who missed the Oct 7th mtg.) Location: OMSA Academic Services 701 S. Gregory, Suite I

Friday, Oct. 20th 3:15- 4:30- Meeting #2 - Everyone in the course (meeting on cultural context) Location: OMSA Academic Services 701 S. Gregory, Suite I

Saturday, November 11th 10:30am- 1:00pm. Screening of "L'Esquive" followed by discussion Location: Lucy Ellis Lounge, FLB

December meeting -to be announced

Departure December 28th, 2006

Attendance is required unless you have a class that conflicts.

PARIS CHECKLIST: January Immersion 2007

PARIS CHECKLIST: January Immersion 2007 Departures (for those who purchased group fares):

Leaving on Air France Flight 051 from Chicago O'Hare at 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, December 28. International Terminal 5. Arrival in Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport at 8:50 a.m. on December 29th. Check-in at Air France counter no later than two hours prior. Students must arrange their own transportation to and from O’Hare.

Flight information home:
Air France Flight 50 from Charles de Gaulle Airport at 1:15 p.m. Arriving at O’Hare at 3:40 p.m. Sunday, January 14.

Accommodations: FIAP Jean Monnet
30 rue Cabanis
75014 Paris
Phone: 01.43.13.17.00

From the US, dial 011-33-1-43-13-17-00 (Paris is 7 hours ahead of Central Standard Time). Cheaper rates may be obtained by dialing “10-10-345” before the above set of numbers. People can call you, but you cannot dial directly from your room. There are payphones downstairs in the FIAP that use French calling cards (in increments of the equivalent of about $7 and $15. There are even cheaper cards available if you expect to call home a lot. Do NOT buy American phone cards here as they are a waste of money compared to the French cards.

1. Get $50 in Euros before leaving (American Express or Thomas Cook offices or O'Hare Airport). The exchange rate of the euro fluctuates depending on the stock market. You do not want to change all your money here because the rate is much better in France. Currently, one euro is about $1.20.

2. Bring a small photo if you want to take advantage of the cheapest transport pass. If you attended the orientation meeting, passes were given to you to fill about before leaving.

3. Bring your student ID -- unlike in the US, France has many, MANY more discounts for students (from museums to clubs).

4. Don't forget books and materials for the class. You also will need to give us the equivalent of 30 euros once in Paris for the purchase of two additional texts needed for the course. (This is cheaper than shipping them to the US.)

5. No more than two checked bags and a carry-on are allowed (purses do not count towards baggage allowance). O’Hare may not let you lock your bags due to inspection procedures - - please take anything of value on the plane with you in a carry-on. Since summer 2006, there are additional regulations on the amount of liquids you can carry in your hand luggage (less than 3 oz.)

6. Have ticket and passport handy at all times at the airport.

7. There are two teaching assistants for the course who will both be staying at the FIAP. Nicole Surprenant is a graduate student in French and a Millikin alum and Dinah Armstead is an Assistant Director in the Office of Minority Student Affairs at the University of lllinois. Both assistants have extensive experience with the Paris course, have lived in France, and are fluent in the language.

8. You can always contact the two professors of the course while in Paris. Professor Toman’s cell number is 06.25.12.31.08. Professor Accad’s cell phone is 06.25.51.57.02.

9. You do not need sheets or towels, but you do need your own toiletries such as shampoo, soap, etc. As you are sharing a room with up to seven people, past students of the course have advised that you bring shower sandals.

10. Millikin students will need about $50 for transportation passes and museum entrance fees while in Paris. These expenses are already covered in the fees paid by students from The University of Illinois.

11. Most of the time, attire is casual, but you need one nicer outfit (no jeans) for the visit to Lycée Louis-le-Grand and “athletic” clothing for the African dance course. Shoes are not worn in the dance studio.

12. Please bring three magazines or newspapers in English to give to the French students we will meet as part of the course. These readingmaterials need not be brand new—they may be magazines that you have already read and would have discarded. However, they prove most useful to French students studying English.

13. You get breakfast and one other meal per day as part of the FIAP package. Meals are purchased through a ticket system with points. If you do not use all your points on meals, you can use them to buy bottled beverages, etc. for your room. If you miss meals one day, you can make them up other days.

14. Any problems? Professor Toman’s number in Chicago is 312-316-3707 and Professor Accad’s number in Paris is: 011-33-1-42.26.13.82.

Global Studies: Diversity & Intergration

LAS 199 Paris, France

http://www.las.uiuc.edu/coursesabroad/CoursesAbroadCSS/winter/paris.html

Questions? Ask Dinah (dinahmite123@yahoo.com)

Deadline to apply: September 20, 2006

Click here to check out last year's course.