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French at Grinnell means French-speaking in every sense of the word and in every part of the world ("dans tous les sens").
It means exploring the diverse literatures and cultures of the French-speaking world, from France and Belgium to Senegal, Algeria,
Guadeloupe, and Vietnam. On campus, students
examine the many different ways in which these identities and cultures intersect and enrich each other, and our off-campus
programs in France and Africa reflect this emphasis.
The French curriculum
encourages students to examine topics and texts from an interdisciplinary perspective, whether they are studying Medieval poetry, Molière plays, immigrant writers in Quebec, or linguistic identity in the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa. The study of French can be complemented with concentrations in related areas such as Linguistics, Western-European Studies, Global Development, and Gender and Women's Studies, or by taking language options in classes on French history, philosophy, politics or art. Thanks to Grinnell's state-of-the-art facilities, students also integrate audio, video, internet and multimedia resources into their study of French.
Grinnell's French-speaking community assures easy access to linguistic and cultural exchanges on many levels. All courses
are conducted in French, and all provide intensive work in oral and written French. The weekly French Table and student-run French House (equipped with satellite TV from France) provide further informal contact with the language and culture. The French Assistant, a French university student, leads conversation classes, lives in French House, and coordinates related activities. In addition, Grinnell frequently enriches its program by hosting international visitors such as May 68 leader Alain Geismar, sociologist Michel Wieviorka, Algerian writers Slimane Benaïssa, Mohamed Kacimi, Leïla Sebbar, and Fatima Gallaire, film director Euzhan Palcy (Rue Cases-Nègres), actor Aurélien Recoing (L'Emploi du temps), African writers Ken Bugul and Véronique Tadjo, former French Minister of Defense Alain Richard, Le Monde editor Daniel Vernet, Paris-VII professor Denise Brahimi, and economist Philippe Manière.
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