French Culture II

Code:

FLUP0091

Acronym:

CULTF2

Instance: 2004/2005 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Portuguese and Romance Studies
Institution Responsible:	Faculty of Arts

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
EE	0	Plano oficial a partir de 2002	3	2,5	5	-
EFA	7	Official Study Plan - LEFA	2	2,5	5	-
		Official Study Plan - LEFA	2	2,5	5	-
		Plano oficial - 4º ao 5º ano	2	2,5	5	-
		Plano oficial - 1º ao 3º ano	2	2,5	5	-
		Plano oficial a partir de 2002	2	2,5	5	-
EFI	27	Official Study Plan - LEFI	2	2,5	5	-
EPA	0	Official Study Plan - LEPA	2	2,5	5	-
			3
		Plano oficial a partir de 2002	2	2,5	5	-
		Plano oficial - 4º ao 5º ano	2	2,5	5	-
			3
		Plano oficial - 1º ao 3º ano	2	2,5	5	-
			3
		Plano oficial a partir de 2002	2	2,5	5	-
EPE	0	Plano oficial - 1º ao 3º ano	2	2,5	5	-
EPF	0	Plano oficial a partir de 2002	2	2,5	5	-
EPI	1	Official Study Plan - LEPI	2	2,5	5	-
			3
		Plano oficial - 4º ao 5º ano	2	2,5	5	-
			3
		Plano oficial - 1º ao 3º ano	2	2,5	5	-
			3
		Plano oficial a partir de 2002	2	2,5	5	-
			3
EPO	0	Plano oficial a partir de 2002	1	2,5	5	-
			2

Objectives

This subject focuses on some aspects of contemporary French culture and society. Firstly, texts by Gilles Lipovetsky and Jacques Derrida (see bibliography below) will be analysed, thus providing a first approach to issues related to the evolution of French society (particularly from May ’68 on) to concentrate afterwards on the debate of ideas and on artistic reflection that evoke those very issues. Magazine and newspaper articles will then be analysed, as well as texts by personalities who, in many different ways, have played an active role within the artistic and cultural community of France, and extracts from contemporary dramatic texts (Beckett, Guénoun, Koltès, Lagarce, Reza, Sales, Vinaver, among others). The approach to the diverse problems will be based on the example of theatre, a deeply-rooted French cultural tradition, whose most recent developments enable us to intersect artistic, social, political and institutional aspects of contemporary France.

Program

- The concepts of “modernité”, “postmodernité” and “hypermodernité” according to Gilles Lipovetsky;
- From the retreat of carpe diem to the «paradoxal present»: the cult of «the memory of heritage» and the democratization of cultural tourism;
- Identities and spiritualities in contemporary France;
- Individualism and communitarianism;
- The passion for ideas in the «age of uncertainty»: the return of philosophy;
- France and the construction of Europe;
- Contemporary French theatre: playwrights, stage directors, theatre companies and institutions.

Main Bibliography

DERRIDA, Jacques, ROUDINESCO, Élisabeth – De quoi demain... dialogue, Paris, Champs/Flammarion, 2001.
JULIET, Charles – Rencontres avec Bram Van Velde, Paris, P.O.L, 1998.
JULIET, Charles – rencontres avec Samuel Beckett, Paris, P.O.L, 1999.
LIPOVETSKY, Gilles – Les Temps Hypermodernes, Paris, Grasset, 2004.
LIPOVESTKY, Gilles – A era do vazio, Lisboa, Relógio d’Água, sd.
LIPOVESTKY, Gilles – Le crépuscule du devoir. L’éthique indolore des nouveaux temps démocratiques, Paris, Gallimard, 1992.
LIPOVESTKY, Gilles – O Império do efémero, Lisboa, D. Quixote, 1989.
RAMOND, Charles – Le vocabulaire de Derrida, Paris, ellipses, 2001.
SARRAUTE, Nathalie – L´ère du soupçon, Paris, Gallimard, Folio essais, 1956.

Sobre teatro contemporâneo francês :
On contemporary French theatre :
De Godot à Zucco, Anthologie des auteurs dramatiques de langue française 1950-2000, Paris, éditions THÉÂTRALES, 2004.
AAVV – Dictionnaire du théâtre, Paris, Albin Michel, 1998.
AAVV – Poétique du drame moderne et contemporain, lexique d’une recherche, Études théâtrales, nº22/2001, Louvain-la-Neuve, Centre d’études théâtrales, Université catholique de Louvain.
BRADBY, David, SPARKS, Annie – Mise en scène, French Theatre Now, Methuen drama, 1997.
CORMANN, Enzo – À quoi sert le théâtre ?, Besançon, Les solitaires Intempestifs, 2003.
GUÉNOUN, Denis – L’Exhibition des mots et autres idées du théâtre et de la philosophie, Paris, Circé/poche, 1985.
GUÉNOUN, Denis – Le théâtre est-il nécessaire ?, Paris, Circé, 1997.
PAVIS, Patrice, Le théâtre contemporain, Analyse de textes de Sarraute à Vinaver, Paris, Nathan Université, 2002.
RYNGAERT, Jean-Pierre – Lire le théâtre contemporain, Paris, Dunod, 1993.
SARRAZAC, Jean-Pierre – O futuro do drama, Porto, Campo das Letras/Dramat, 2003.
SARRAZAC, Jean-Pierre – Critique du théâtre, de l’utopie au désenchantement, Paris, Circé, 2000.
VINAVER, Michel – Écritures dramatiques, essais d’analyse de textes de théâtre, Arles, Actes Sud, 1993.

N.B.: Other bibliographical references will be indicated at the beginning of the academic year. Reading newspapers, magazines and other texts related to topics concerning present-day France is highly recommended.

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical-practical classes.

Evaluation Type

Eligibility for exams

Pass mark in the final exam or pass mark calculated from the average sum of all three assessment components.

Calculation formula of final grade

Final exam - 100%
Average sum of all three assessment components

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not applicable.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Not applicable.

Classification improvement

According to the Assessment Regulations in force.

Observations

Language of instruction: Portuguese and French.