Francophone Literature in a World Context

A survey of Francophone literature and some central historical and theoretical questions that have arisen in relation to this literature. A selection of novels and short stories will be studied from Francophone areas such as the Caribbean , West Africa, and North Africa. Emphasis will be on the cultural references and contexts of the French speaking population in each country or region and the use of the French language for writing literary texts. French language texts will be compared with indigenous language texts in each context. Texts will be read in English translation. Students with reading knowledge of French may read the texts in the original.