Exploring Sustainable Practices in French Industry: Fashion, Cuisine, and Music

In this advanced French language and culture course we will explore iconic French industries through the lens of sustainability. Beginning in the Industrial Revolution, we will interrogate themes such as class, space, labor, and cultural appropriation in France and subsequently focus on the evolution of the sustainable practices of each industry today. By contextualizing examples ranging from thrifting in department stores on Boulevard Haussmann to French hip-hop and cabaret culture in Montmartre, we will evaluate the cultural legacy of fashion, cuisine, and music in France today. To this end, we will analyze videos, articles, literary texts, and images as well as engage with guest speakers from France. In addition to participating in a conversation exchange with university students in France studying Business English, course work will include daily readings and exercises, in-class and online written assessments, a video presentation, and a final written project evaluating the sustainable and ethical practices of a French company of your choice.