FREN 417 - Graphic Novels and the Making of Identity in the Francophone World

FC ARHU CD

4 credits
This course explores the graphic novel as a mechanism for identity construction and a vehicle for personal and cultural expression in the Francophone sphere-from Canada to the Caribbean, Africa, Maghreb, Asia, Belgium, and France. We will examine how image and text converge to tell diverse stories across various genres. Often called the “Ninth Art,” this hybrid form lends itself to narratives that are accessible yet multilayered and complex. We will investigate how this pictorial-literary medium has been harnessed to grapple with an array of formative human experiences related to gender, sexuality, ethnicity, race, and religion, along with immigration, colonialism, war, and institutional violence. We will also study the impact of the bande dessinée as a powerful socio-cultural phenomenon within the French-speaking world. Lastly, we will consider the graphic novel’s relationship to other creative media, especially cinematic adaptions. Taught in French.

Prerequisites: Two 300-level courses beyond FREN 301.