The Cultural Service of the French Consulate in Boston is pleased to present a series of talks throughout the month of March by local French professors on their research related to the French language and Francophone cultures.
The Franco-Americans of Lewiston-Auburn, Maine: Lessons in Cultural Persistence
March 11th at 2pm
The Franco-American population of Lewiston-Auburn, Maine is emblematic of the one million French-speaking migrants who flooded the industrial cities of New England in the 19th and 20th centuries. Professor DeFosse of Bates College will explain how this group has managed to hold on to their cultural identity while still participating fully in American society.
Sign up here. This event will be in English.
Paris Pictures, Beyond the Cliché
March 17th at 2pm
Contemporary Paris is known for its diversity and complexity, but many still view the Parisian past through a rose-colored lens. Professors Clark (MIT) and Astourian (Bentley) refresh and challenge our views of Paris using examples from their research on photography and cinema since the 1950s.
Sign up here. This event will be in English.
The Francophonie in the World Today
March 22nd at 6pm
Join Professor Hanétha Vété-Congolo of Bowdoin College in an exploration of the diverse Francophone world, with its challenges and promises for the 21st century.
Sign up here. This event will be in English.
Francophone Writers and the Environment Today: Towards New Ethics of Responsibility
March 24th at 2pm
Les romans francophones des vingt dernières années montrent un certain nombre de changements. Leur visibilité est accrue grâce aux prix littéraires et leurs auteurs témoignent d’un désir d’être d’abord reconnus en tant qu’écrivains et d’emprunter une voix plus personnelle. On constate aussi un retour à certains éléments - tels que la place des animaux, la nature et ce que l’on peut considérer comme une nouvelle éthique responsable (conférence d’Odile Cazenave, Boston University).
Sign up here. This event will be in French.
Refugees, Emigrés and Exiles: Global Migrations in the Age of Revolutions
March 30th at 1pm
Following the advent of the French and Haitian Revolutions, a massive exodus displaced thousands of people across Europe and the Atlantic world. Between 1789 and 1794, approximately 150,000 French left their homeland. Another 30,000 people fled from the Caribbean after the Revolution at Saint-Domingue (Haiti). This period thus witnessed what can be described as the first modern migration crisis. This massive and diverse emigration produced a rich literature of exile that exerted a lasting influence on politics, literature, and culture, and become a recognized feature of modern political life.
Sign up here. This event will be in English.
