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.