Department of European Studies & Modern Languages, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
EU20579 Images of conflict: the French at war |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Intermediate |
| Semester: 2 |
| Assessment: CW33ES67 |
| Requisites: |
| Before taking this unit you must take EU20009 or take EU20011 |
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Aims: To develop students' understanding of the political and historical background of the French experience of conflict in the twentieth century, and of the ways in which that experience has been articulated in written and visual terms, both documentary and creative.
Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to: * describe the variety of French experiences of wartime conflict; * assess the complexity of political and moral choices confronting the French in times of occupation and resistance; * evaluate various creative and imaginative responses to the experience of war, as expressed by writers and film-makers. Skills: Skills in critical analysis, conceptual thinking, precision in the use of written and spoken language, exercise of independent judgement, reasoned argument, teamwork and the planning/conduct/reporting of non-quantitative research are taught and assessed in this unit. Skills in effective learning and language skills are developed in this unit. Content: This unit will examine the history of conflicts in which France was involved in the twentieth century, with a principal focus on the period from the1940s to the 1960s. Principal issues for discussion will include the morality and legitimacy of violence, and the status of memory in coming to terms with the past, and will involve discussion of themes such as armed combat, the occupation, resistance, commemoration, war crimes, and colonial war. |