FR4082 Francophone Vocal Cultures: Song and Identity

Academic year

2023 to 2024 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

15

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Planned timetable

To be confirmed

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr D E Evans

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr David Evans, Dr Pauline Souleau

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

What is the place of song in French-language culture? In what ways does song express the complexities of national, regional, ethnic, cultural, class or gender identity? In this module we will study the history of song in French across a wide variety of genres, places and time periods. In a typical semester we will cover four topics chosen from a broad selection including: (1) the setting of poetry to music in classical art song, or mélodie, (2) rap and hip-hop from France and across the French-speaking world, (3) sexual and gender politics in contemporary pop (4) la chanson populaire: variété icons and la chanson à textes from the 1960s to the present (5) linguistic and cultural identity in folk song from the French regions and francophone countries. Classes will feature close textual analysis of individual songs as well as discussions of broader socio-political and musical themes arising from them. The module will be taught and assessed in French. No musical expertise is required.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST PASS FR2202

Assessment pattern

100% Coursework

Re-assessment

100% Coursework

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

2 lectures and 14 seminars over 11 weeks. 2 module surgery hours (x 11 weeks).

Scheduled learning hours

20

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

125

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Knowledge of a wide range of different song cultures across the French-speaking world
  • Development of critical thinking by elaborating theoretical frameworks through which to read song as artefact, text, performance and identity marker.
  • Research skills, developed in both the seminars and the coursework, as students will be asked to bring original material to class discussion and to design their own essay question.
  • Language skills, both written and oral, as this module will be taught and assessed entirely in French.
  • Students will develop their skills of close textual analysis through engagement with a broad selection of primary texts.
  • This module also foregrounds the specific skill of aural comprehension, since students will be exposed to far more spoken and sung French than elsewhere on their curriculum.