ADV 4930: French Culture
Summer 2009
Dr. Debbie Treise
dtreise@jou.ufl.edu
Class hours:
TBA
Office:
2012 Weimer
Telephone: 392-6557 (office)
Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office before we leave for France. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation.
Academic Honesty:
Academic honesty is important at the
University of Florida. All students are expected to practice the
Course Description: The purpose of this class is you help you develop the global critical thinking essential to living and working in the international marketplace. Through the coursework and experiences in this class you will feel a closer link to and understanding of the culture of France, the international business world (and your place in it)and how it contrasts to the U.S.. In addition, by integrating international perspectives and languages (brief though it will be), you will learn how to apply your domestic knowledge to more global situations.
This course is designed as a broad overview of
the field of French culture. Over
the next few weeks we’ll be reading the literature in this rather broad and
unique field so that you will begin to understand:
·
The culture of
France
·
An examination
of American culture
·
The popular
culture of France and its influence on media
·
The
international marketplace
·
Economy of
France
·
Regulatory and
political environment
·
Media of France
This course is designed around a lecture/discussion format. Since we are conducting it as a seminar, it is expected that you will have done a careful, critical reading of all items assigned for each week, and will be ready to participate in class discussion. In other words, this will be a highly interactive environment and is based on cooperative learning. For each week, the most relevant readings have been assigned. However, I encourage you to step outside of these readings and acquaint yourself with the body of literature on the history and people of France. Also, hopefully you’ll be developing supportive relationships among your classmates as we work through the issues in the field.
Class Operating
Policies
1-Assignments
will be due on the dates indicated in the syllabus.
NO LATE PAPERS OR ASSIGNMENTS
WILL BE ACCEPTED – NO EXCEPTIONS.
2-YOUR ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY FOR EACH CLASS – as is the case with all classes in this program, one full letter grade is deducted for each miss!
3-TARDINESS IS TREATED AS AN ABSENCE
4-Prepare
ahead of time for class.
5-Participate!
6-If
you have a cell phone on the trip, turn it off in class unless there is an
emergency.
7-When
you’re working on your projects, class readings and anything associated with
this class, doing just what is expected, to me, is “average” and warrants a “C.”
To earn an “A” means your work in all aspects and on all assignments is
exceptional. Skating through or
last-minute work almost always results in a low grade.
8-The final project can
be conducted in groups.
Your participation is very important for this, especially because, in
this case, not only will you have to attend class with your team members, but
you’ll be living VERY close to them, traveling together and spending long hours
on planes, boats and buses. So it’s
doubly important that you are a strong team member.
Work as hard as you can to earn respect from your team!
You will be conducting peer
evaluations at the end of the final assignment.
Required
Readings:
1-Greenside, Mark. (2008). I’ll never be French (no matter what I do): Living in a small village in Brittany. Free Press: New York (available at Amazon.com and half.com)
2-The Death of French Culture (very short article):
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1686532,00.html
3-Background statistics (read as many of these categories as you can to get a quick understanding of the demographics and other facts of France)
http://www.nationmaster.com/country/fr-france
4-Martin, J. and Nakayama, T. (2004). Intercultural Communication in Contexts. Chapter 3 (available online ARES library system – see below)
5-D’Sousa, D. (2002). What’s so great about America? Chapter 1 (available on the ARES library system – see below)
Link to ARES
system for course reserves:
1-http://www.uflib.ufl.edu
2-course reserves
3-new to Ares (right side
of page) to set up an account
4-student tools
5-search classes
6-choose instructor
Assignments
(Graduate
students in the class will have an extra assignment)
Weekly Readings/Discussion Questions
In addition to the discussion questions that I’ve provided for you, for each class meeting identify at least two important questions or discussion points from the readings that will serve as class discussion questions. These questions might be those that you wouldn’t want your classmates to miss, that interest you or those about which you would like to hear the thoughts of your classmates. Please bring your questions to class and be ready to turn them in at the beginning of class (these can be neatly hand written).
Geert Hofstede Project
(BRING THIS WITH YOU FOR ONE OF THE FIRST CLASSES)
Culture is a poorly understood concept.
International marketers and business people have continually faced
profitability problems by ignoring local (in this case, meaning individual
countries) culture’s influence and differing value systems, and assuming a
global culture that translates across many countries.
This is an individual assignment.
·
Go to
http://www.geert-hofstede.com
and read about Hofstede’s cultural dimensions.
·
Make sure you
completely understand those dimensions first.
·
Then click on
“compare your home culture with your host culture.” Look at the scores for
France and contrast them against those of the U.S. The site will give you clear
contrasts.
·
What evidence
of each of the five dimensions do you see in American culture?
Provide some specific examples.
·
What evidence
of each of the five dimensions do you see in French culture? Provide some
specific examples. See if you can
find some ads that may reflect the dimensions.
Bring them in to share with the class.
·
Do the
dimensions of French culture match up with your preconceptions of it?
What does? What does not?
·
Be specific
about where and when you observed the examples you provide.
·
This paper
should be about five (neatly handwritten, if you can’t get to a printer) pages.
Observation
Assignment for class discussion)
This can be done as a team of two or three (no
more) or individually. You can begin to learn much about the culture of the
country through a semiotic (the study of signs and symbols) look at common
activities, landmarks and buildings, among other things.
Think of this project as a scavenger hunt of sorts.
Sit in an unobtrusive place and start watching, taking pictures and
notes. Look for the things listed
below BUT not just these. Look
through your eyes initially.
A couple of rules: First, try to suspend your
culture and don’t judge what you see, just take note of it.
Second, take immediate note of things that strike you
before
you start answering the questions listed.
In other words, look into the
setting and really see it from your
perspective before you answer my questions. Then, first write down things that
indicate what you see and what I’m asking you to see.
1-Shopping-
Shopping area itself: Layout – what is the function of the center or shopping area? Is it for the quick shopper, or is it designed to keep people there for the maximum time? What’s the noise volume? Voice volume? How is the lighting? Is it inviting?
Shoppers: Are they there for the purpose of seeing and being seen? Meeting and being met? Are they walking fast? Is this an interactive or solitary activity? How are people dressed? Do they smile at one another? At you? Are they mostly female? Are they browsing or is this a purposeful place to shop? Is this age or gender specific? Do they make eye contact with clerks? What about the clerks. How about standing in lines? What do these observations tell you about French culture?
2-Clubs- (note: this is NOT a participant observation assignment, merely observational.) The bars/nightclubs in a many countries truly reflect their dominant culture that is why I am asking you to observe there, not drink there. In fact, for this assignment, you are strictly prohibited from drinking. (If you would prefer not to go into a club, choose a restaurant instead and proceed with the assignment)
Club/restaurant itself: What is the décor? Flooring? Lighting? Sound level? Is there music? Live? What is the volume? Is it at a level designed for entertaining or talking? Are people dancing? What about the seating? Does it suggest function or looks? Do people rearrange the chairs? What do these observations tell you about French culture?
3-Houses- (stay out of any dangerous neighborhoods to do this, conduct your observations by day)
Are they formal? What colors are being used? Is the architecture understated? Showy?
What are the trends from older to newer homes? Are they trying to protect their privacy or are they more open? What denotes that? Are there: Long drives, hidden entries, walls
fences? Do
they attempt to display wealth?
Porches? What about the landscape? Front yards: self expression; public display?
Backyards – trees? Gardens? Usage?
Are they designed for outdoor living or display? What is the focal point of
these yards (front and back).
What do these observations tell you
about French culture?
You will be turning in your notes and drawings of the
layouts of the locations. Describe what you’ve seen and their apparent cultural
meanings to you.
(I understand that this is just a glimpse at
“the culture” of each country, and in no way encompasses the entire country or
even the regions we will be visiting.)
Final Project
This one is a group (or individual) assignment
– groups of two or three, no larger.
And you have two choices.
Option 1:
·
Select a
product that is widely advertised in France.
·
Learn as much
as you can about the product and its manufacturer
·
fiind as many
ads as you can for it: Internet, print, TV, outdoor, new media.
Include these examples in your final paper.
Analyze the significance of the choices made in the ads in terms of their
layout, headline, copy, tone, appeal, visuals, etc in relation to what you have
learned about French culture – from your observations, and from the discussions
and ALL of the readings.
·
design the next
campaign for the product (not an extension of the current campaign). This
campaign must hold true to the culture of France as you have observed it, the
brand personality, etc. Two ads in a
campaign, you choose the medium.
Provide a creative brief. Back up every decision you make based on what you have
learned about the current market and the French culture.
Option 2:
·
Using your own
diary, travelogue, interviews, videos, readings, library research etc, construct
a French culture lesson for your employer – an editor, creative director, public
affairs director, etc – about French college-aged males and females. The idea is
that your company will use this information to understand this target group’s
“culture” to be able to operate their media-related business in France.
For example, you may be working for an ad agency that is considering
expanding to France and marketing its athletic shoe there; however, they are
woefully uninformed about the French college-aged market.
Conversely, your editor might want you to educate the editorial and
travel staff about this group to be able to write a feature series for your
travel magazine.
·
So, first you
will need to provide a detailed definition your understanding of culture (in
general) and all its dimensions and interpretations; this must naturally include
references to pop culture as well.
·
Then you need
to categorize the dimensions of culture you find most important to make your
employers understand. Make sure you provide plenty of examples and explanations
listed in the first bullet item under Option 2.
Finally,
when we get back, by June 30 you will need to submit a minimum 8-10-page final
report from the option you have chosen (one paper per team).
Spelling, grammar, punctuation and
proper referencing for citations and bibliography errors affect your final
grade.
A peer review also will be conducted assessing
your attitude, participation, contributions, quality and amount of work and the
like. Students not contributing
their fair share will have project and peer evaluation points deducted.
Grading
Criteria for Final Project
These criteria will be used, among others, in
determining your grade on this project (not presented in any particular order):
·
Quality of
writing, editing
·
Content
·
Quality, scope,
currency and appropriateness of research
·
Integration and
synthesis of knowledge learned
·
Focus and
organization
·
Clarity in
relating knowledge learned about the culture as reflected in the ads
·
Your
participation in the final assignment as reflected by peer evaluations
Grading Policies
Class Attendance/ Participation/Discussion
Questions
25%
Hofstede project
20%
Observation assignment
15%
Final project/presentations and peer review
40%
Class topics
Discussion
questions in each class (these will
be emailed to you before we leave)
Intro
The test…(not a
real test, a discussion test about French culture)
What is culture?
Hofstede discussion
What does it mean
to be American?
What’s so great
about America?
Understanding the
French: The Rule Book
I’ll never be
French no matter what I do
Observation
assignment discussion
Final project
discussion
(TBA once we learn about classrooms and
technology, etc.)
Class 1:
Introduction,
Background and History
Class
2-3
Readings:
Class 4-5
Class 6-7
Class 8-9
Class 10-11
Class 12