The University of Texas at Austin Department of French & Italian, Austin, TX 78712
A CALL FOR SIX PAPERS ON FRENCH CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY
Six papers on French culture in the United States are wanted for the symposium on "The French in the United States Today: People, Biz, Culture," to be held at the University of Texas at Austin, April 21-23, 2005.
Please see a prospectus and an update at http://www.utexas.edu/cola/france-ut/symposium2005.html
The essays (12+ pages), in English or French, should present an overview of the subject researched, a general analysis of its actual and recent aspects. Some topics are suggested below.
These essays will be part of a session on French culture, with other contributions on French cinema, French music, and French theory in the United States today. They will be published in the proceedings.
1) French books in the United States today
Figures, genres of French books in US; import of French books; American translations of French books; US readerships of French books (tastes, trends); US publishers of translations, class-books, journals and magazines in French; French book collections in US...
2) French wine and food in the United States today
French agro-business in US: Danone, Yoplait, Bongrain, Dreyfus Citrus; Sodexho's non-French food
French wines: national consumption and trends; French wine makers in US; distributors; export-import and national security
From restaurants to brasseries? or the rise and fall of French restaurants in US
French food and francophobia; food fights: José Bové's roquefort in Seattle, forbidden foie gras in California...
Chefs, André Soltner, Jacques Pépin, Michel Richard, Jean-Louis Palladin...
A "French chef" dies (Julia Child)
French food and globalization (and metissage)
What French food in US? where? for whom? for what?
3) French art in the United States today
Recent exhibits; Galleries, collections; Trends, tastes
French artists living in US (painters, sculptors, architects, designers)
French art trade in US
4) French in schools in the United States today
French teaching in primary and secondary schools: federal and state numbers, public and private schools, students and teachers of French, policies, pedagogy and methods, recent trends and issues...
"Lycées et écoles françaises" in US
5) France and the French in American film (the last ten years)
6) France and the French in American novel (the last ten years)
Proposals should be sent to François Lagarde at lagarde@mail.utexas.edu