Past Classes
New York university (2014-)
Barnard College, Columbia University (2006-2014)
SPRING 2014
BC V3950: Comparative Literature Colloquium in Literary Theory
MW 2.40pm-3.55pm
An introduction to literary theory, starting with Aristotle and Plato, passing through pre-theory theoreticians like Sidney and Du Bellay, then a systematic examination of main theoretical approaches to literature: structuralism, post-structuralism, psychoanalysis, feminism, gender studies, deconstruction, etc. No prior knowledge assumed. Enrollment limited to 18.
BC 3091: Senior Thesis (French Department)
M 6.10pm-8.00pm
A class for final-semester seniors in the French department that functions as a workshop in which to plan, research, and write the thesis or mémoire.
FALL 2013
BC 3026: Poetry and Painting: Art and Literature of the French Renaissance
MW 4:10pm-5:25pm
Course that pairs writings (poetry, prose, theater) with various art forms (painting, sculpture, 'feather paintings', etc.) in order to understand the relationship between art and literature in the French Renaissance.
BC3021: Major French Texts I
MW 1:10-2:25pm
Survey course of French literature from the very earliest texts written in French up to the seventeenth century. After fragments like the "Serments de Strasbourg" we read the Chanson de Roland, the lais of Marie de France, Rabelais, Montaigne, Molière and Corneille.
Fall 2012
Spring 2012
Fall 2011
Fall 2010
BC V3950: Comparative Literature Colloquium in Literary Theory
MW 2.40pm-3.55pm
An introduction to literary theory, starting with Aristotle and Plato, passing through pre-theory theoreticians like Sidney and Du Bellay, then a systematic examination of main theoretical approaches to literature: structuralism, post-structuralism, psychoanalysis, feminism, gender studies, deconstruction, etc. No prior knowledge assumed. Enrollment limited to 18.
BC 3091: Senior Thesis (French Department)
M 6.10pm-8.00pm
A class for final-semester seniors in the French department that functions as a workshop in which to plan, research, and write the thesis or mémoire.
FALL 2013
BC 3026: Poetry and Painting: Art and Literature of the French Renaissance
MW 4:10pm-5:25pm
Course that pairs writings (poetry, prose, theater) with various art forms (painting, sculpture, 'feather paintings', etc.) in order to understand the relationship between art and literature in the French Renaissance.
BC3021: Major French Texts I
MW 1:10-2:25pm
Survey course of French literature from the very earliest texts written in French up to the seventeenth century. After fragments like the "Serments de Strasbourg" we read the Chanson de Roland, the lais of Marie de France, Rabelais, Montaigne, Molière and Corneille.
Fall 2012
- G4320: FR LIT OF THE 16TH CENTURY I (Columbia)
- Major French Texts 1 (Barnard)
Spring 2012
- On leave from Barnard College.
- Graduate (MA) seminar to be taught on "History and Literature" at Reid Hall, Paris, France.
Fall 2011
- On leave.
- French 3006: Composition and Conversation. See below.
- Tragedy in Translation (working title). New course in Comparative Literature. Details to follow.
- French Graduate Seminar. (Columbia University). Topic: French Renaissance Literature. Draft course description (subject to change).
Fall 2010
- French 3006: Composition and Conversation. See below.
- Medieval and Renaissance 3998. Directed Research (for seniors).
- French Art and Architecture. Course to be guest taught at the Université de Bourgogne (Dijon, France) as part of the Summer Workshop organized by Miami University (Ohio, USA). May 27-July 2, 2010.
- French BC 3022y Major French Texts II. Readings in French literature from the 18th to the 20th century. Authors to be read will likely include: Montesquieu, Voltaire, Diderot, Balzac, Flaubert, Sand, Sartre, Beckett, Duras.
- Comparative Literature BC 3155. Epic Travel. Examines how heroes in literature and film 'come into being' through the journeys they make. Comparison between epic (travel with a goal) and romance (wandering). Readings by Virgil, Chrétien de Troies, Luiz Vaz de Camões, Aphra Behn, Voltaire and others; films by Jean-Luc Godard, Francis Ford Coppola, Ridley Scott and others.
- French BC 3006: Composition and Conversation. A class for students having completed Intermediate II (1204) or equivalent. Emphasis on increasing spoken fluency and skills in writing. This is not a grammar class, but a 'put your French into practice' class.
- French BC 1204. Intermediate French II. (Two sections). The final class in Barnard's language requirement in French. Emphasis on grammar.
- French Graduate Seminar. (Boston University). Topic: French Renaissance Epic.[Details]
- Independent studies at Barnard: 1) French cinema and politics; 2) Thesis pre-reading relating literature to questions of multiculturalism in France.
- Comparative LIterature BC 3122: Big Brother, Poetics of Power. A new class this semester. Explores literary and filmic formulations of Big-Brother-like power situations. Readings include: Orwell, Kafka, Nabokov, Lucan, Winterson; films by directors inculding Coppola, Hitchcock, Chaplin, and others. Secondary readings include Foucault, Zizek, and others.
- French BC 3006: Composition and Conversation. A class for students having completed Intermediate II (1204) or equivalent. Emphasis on increasing spoken fluency and skills in writing. This is not a grammar class, but a 'put your French into practice' class.
- Many sections of French Intermediate I and II (1203, 1204), and of Composition/Conversation (3006).
- Epic Travel (as above), Fall 2006, Spring 2008.