Dark Humor: Francophone Literature from West Africa

FRENCH 4192

In 1960, most of the French colonies in Africa gained independence in a largely peaceful transfer of power. Since then, this development has been viewed alternatively as the triumph of self-determination, and as a hollow act undermined by neo-colonial French ministries, multinational companies, and corrupt governments. Media today commonly adopt a highly pessimistic tone when speaking of these phenomena, but literature from West Africa provides alternative ways of looking at the region, which today includes over 140 million French speakers. Reading authors such as Kourouma, Kane, Tansi, Tchicaya, and Lopes, we will consider the ways that literature enters into dialogue with political discourses represented both as tragedy and as farce. The main seminar (section 01) is taught in English; undergraduates also register for a weekly discussion (section A conducted in French). Prereq: for undergraduates, Fr 325, 326, Thinking-It-Through, or In-Depth; for graduates not in French, reading knowledge of the language.
Course Attributes: EN H; AS HUM; AS LCD; FA HUM

Section A

Dark Humor: Francophone Literature from West Africa - A
INSTRUCTOR: Graebner

Section 01

Dark Humor: Francophone Literature from West Africa - 01
INSTRUCTOR: Graebner