FR 4600 — Fake News! Rumors, Scandals, and Culture Wars in Early Modern France (Spring 2024), Instructor: Dr. Charlee Bezilla (she/her), Class Meetings: Tuesdays/Thursdays, 2:20–3:35pm

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will explore what gossip, rumors, and “fake news” can tell us about the society and culture of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in France and the Francophone world more broadly—and about cultural flashpoints in our own time. We’ll study issues that led to scandal and debate in early modern France, like blood transfusions, sightings of fantastic creatures, romantic affairs, political intrigue, and controversial philosophies. The first half of the course will focus on primary sources such as images, periodicals, literary texts, and other forms of material culture.

During the second half of the semester, our classroom will take the form of an Ancien régime salon as we delve into a historical role-playing game where you will have the chance to experience one of the period’s biggest culture wars from the perspectives of its participants.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Throughout the semester, you will develop your close reading skills, practice clear oral and written communication in French, and master coherent written and oral analyses of the material under study as well as be able to relate past events and trends with current cultural, political, and social trends.

REQUIRED TEXTS

Due to the nature of the materials that we will be studying, most are in the public domain and thus everything you need will be provided for you on Blackboard. Because we will be working closely with the material we are studying in class, it is essential that you bring the materials with you (whether a hard copy/printout, or electronic device), and that you are ready to actively participate in our discussions and activities.

A note on our topic: Seventeenth- and eighteenth-century texts sometimes refer to peoples of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as sexual orientation, disability, gender, and other groups and identities, in ways that are not acceptable today, using language we may consider derogatory. It is our goal to critically understand how past beliefs and attitudes shaped, and continue to shape today, ideas that have influenced our society, and thus it is important to interrogate this history. However, I recognize that engaging with these texts may be uncomfortable. If you are not comfortable discussing the content of a particular course session in the classroom, I invite you to take care of yourself and your well-being first, and contact me to discuss accommodations after.

MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS

Participation	20 %
Oral Presentation	10 %
Mid-term Essay	20 %
Reacting to the Past Assignments	50 %

Participation (20%):

We will spend a big portion of the class discussing the materials assigned for the day in small and big groups. This is how we share ideas and create new knowledge. Discussions can only be successful if every student prepares well for class and actively participates. Please come to class having read/viewed all the material and having thought about it. Your participation will be negatively impacted if you resort to English frequently. You will receive a participation grade 3 times throughout the semester; a rubric is available on Blackboard. However, please note that your effort to engage with the class is what counts for these participation grades—not speaking 100% perfect French. We all mistakes—that’s how we learn!

Oral Presentation/Exposé oral (10%):

You will work with a partner to present one of the texts/materials we will be studying in class. You will sign up for a date/topic during the first week of the semester. Your exposé should include brief background information about the creator of the text and its context, and you should include a visual aid and/or handout as well as 3-4 discussion questions for your classmates. The exposé should last approximately 10 minutes, and then you will use your questions to start off the discussion with your classmates. The day of your exposé, you will submit a bibliography with at least 2 scholarly sources you’ve used to prepare your exposé (i.e. articles or books retrieved through databases like JSTOR, Project Muse, MLA International Bibliography, etc. which can be accessed through the GW library). A detailed rubric is available on Blackboard.

Mid-Term Essay (20%):

The mid-term essay (3–4 pages, double-spaced) will be due on March 8. You will choose from a list of topics. Instructions and a detailed rubric are available on Blackboard.

Reacting to the Past: Assignments for “Enlightenment in Crisis” (50%):

After spring break, we will be using a role-playing game from Reacting to the Past (RTTP), a pedagogy tool used at more than 350 colleges and universities in the United States and abroad, designed to focus on moments of clashing ideas in history. In order to “win,” you will need to write and speak effectively, work closely with the readings, collaborate with your classmates, conduct research, think critically and creatively, solve problems, and take initiative. Before each session of the game, you will prepare readings, speeches, or written responses as indicated on Blackboard. It is extremely important to prepare for each session: if you are not prepared, you will negatively affect everyone else’s experience of the game and it will affect your potential to “win.” Graded assignments will include:

• 3 short speeches (approx. 3 minutes each) (15%, 5% each)
• 3 short written pieces (at least 300 words each) (15%, 5% each)
• 1 final reflection paper (submitted at the end of the semester, 4–5 pp. double- spaced); a rubric and more information is available on Blackboard (20%)

COURSE POLICIES & LOGISTICS

Accessibility: Please contact me if you have any concerns regarding the accessibility of this course for you. This is not strictly understood as “disability,” and can concern anything from access to text to your ability to participate. Anything that impedes your success in the class and that I can help with, feel free to contact me about.

Attendance: You are expected to attend every class session. Participation is crucially important in this class. Obviously, if you’re not here, you cannot participate. Class meetings and participation cannot be made up. If you miss more than 3 class sessions without contacting me first, your participation grade will be lowered by ½ grade for each day missed. Should you need to miss class because of illness or emergency, please notify me by e-mail ahead of time. You are not required to submit documentation for absences, just contact me.

In class:

• Laptops or tablets should only be used for class activities
• Cellphones should be turned off and put away
• If you need to leave the room, please do so quietly

Workload: Average minimum amount of independent, out-of-class, learning expected per week: You are expected to spend approximately 6-7 hours of independent work (reading, writing, thinking, researching) per week outside of class.**

Course readings: Course readings posted on Bb should be brought to class, print or electronic

Late assignments: All assignments must be turned in on time. ½ letter grade will be deducted for each day the assignment is late. However, each student receives one 48-hour late assignment pass per semester (no questions asked!). You must notify me by email or in person that you will be using your pass the day before the assignment is due, at the latest.

N.B. Per national accreditation requirements, to receive full credit for this course you are expected to spend a minimum of 112.5 hours on the material. This means that in addition to attending all class sessions, you are expected to spend 2-3 hours preparing for each class.

This allotment may shift at various points over the semester and includes the time spent on papers.

Plan du cours

Date	Sujet du cours (Voir Blackboard pour les lectures à lire/à préparer en avance sous « Weekly Homework »)	Projets à rendre
Module 1 : Le paysage médiatique de l’Ancien régime
16 jan	Introduction au cours –Lisez le syllabus
18 jan	La presse aux 17e et 18e siècles –Lisez le document « La naissance de la presse »
23 jan	Les « fausses nouvelles » au 16e et 17e siècles : les histoires prodigieuses et les canards (documents sur Blackboard)
25 jan	Créatures fantastiques et mondes étrangers –Lisez François Desprez, Recueil de la diversité des habits	Exposé oral : [noms]
Module 2 : Scandale et rumeur au 17e siècle : les « affaires » et les « querelles »
30 jan	La querelle des Anciens et des modernes : la plus grande « culture war » de l’époque Joan DeJean, Ancients Against Moderns (extrait)de Bruyère, Les Caractères (extraits)	Exposé oral : [noms]
1er fév.	–Fontenelle, Digression sur les Anciens et les Modernes –Perrault, Le Siècle de Louis le Grand –facultatif : Perrault, Parallèle des Anciens et des Modernes, en ce qui concerne la poésie	Exposé oral : [noms] Exposé oral : [noms]
6 fév.	La querelle des femmes (lectures selon groupes sur Bb) –Nicolas de Cholières, La Guerre des masles contre les femelles –Trousset, Alphabet de l’imperfection et malice des femmes –Molière, Les Précieuses ridicules –Poulain de La Barre, De l’égalité des deux sexes –Marie de Gournay, Egalité des hommes et des femmes –Olympe de Gouges, Déclaration des droits de la femme…	Exposé oral : [noms] Exposé oral : [noms] Exposé oral : [noms]
8 fév.	L’affaire des poisons pendant le règne de Louis XIV –Analyse d’images : gravures –Lisez Madame de Sévigné et Alexandre Dumas, Lettres –facultatif (optional) : documentaires YouTube sur l’affaire	Exposé oral : [noms]
13 fév.	La querelle de l’inoculation & les débats sur les vaccins	Exposé oral : [noms]

	–Voltaire, Lettres sur les Anglais, “Sur l’insertion de la petite vérole” –Charles Marie de La Condamine, Mémoire sur l’inoculation	Exposé oral : [noms]
15 fév.	Le scandale de la transfusion animale –Descartes, “L’animal machine” (extrait) –Denis, Copie d’une lettre écrite à M. de Montmor….	Exposé oral : [noms]
Module 3 : Les « causes célèbres » : La justice, le crime et le scandale au 18e siècle
20 fév.	Les causes célèbres au 18e siècle : un « best-seller » ? –Article sur le « true crime » –Gayot de Pitaval, « Avertissement », Causes célèbres	Exposé oral : [noms
22 fév.	Cas d’études : préparation pour les visites à la bibliothèque de l’école de droit (docs sur Blackboard) : –L’affaire Calas et les procès de sorcellerie à Loudun –Article sur la justice du 18e siècle	Exposé oral : [noms]
27 fév.	Cas d’études : préparation pour les visites à la bibliothèque de l’école de droit (docs sur Blackboard) : –L’affaire du collier, Marie Antoinette & Lupin	Exposé oral : [noms]
29 fév.	Visite #1 à la bibliothèque de GW Law Special Collections : travail de groupes
5 mars	Session de travail sur l’essai de mi-semestre	Préparer la thèse de votre essai
7 mars	Visite #2 à la bibliothèque de GW Law Special Collections : travail de groupes	Rendre l’essai de mi- semestre le 8 mars, avant 23h59
11-16 mars	Spring Break – pas de classe
Module 4 : Lumières en crise !
19 mars	Session d’orientation 1 : Lumières en crise –Le contexte des Lumières et votre rôle (lectures indiquées sur Blackboard)
21 mars	Session d’orientation 1 : Lumières en crise –16 septembre 1750 : l’Encyclopédie et la monarchie (lectures indiquées sur Blackboard)	Préparer votre discours n.1 (rendre la version écrite sur Blackboard avant le cours)
26 mars	Session de jeu 1 : 30 juin 1751 (Tome I) (lectures indiquées sur Blackboard)
28 mars	Session de jeu 2 : 19 janvier 1752 (Tome II) (lectures indiquées sur Blackboard)
2 avr.	Session de jeu 3 : 7 novembre 1753 (Tome III) (lectures indiquées sur Blackboard)
4 avr.	Pas de cours – préparation et travail individuel	Voir Blackboard
9 avr.	Session de jeu 4 : 23 octobre 1754 (Tome IV) (lectures indiquées sur Blackboard)
11 avr.	Session de jeu 5 : 5 novembre 1755 (Tome V) (lectures indiquées sur Blackboard)
16 avr.	Session de jeu 6 : 26 mai 1756 (Tome VI) (lectures indiquées sur Blackboard)

18 avr.	Session de jeu 7 : 12 octobre 1757 (Tome VII) (lectures indiquées sur Blackboard)	Dernier jour pour rendre les 3 textes écrits du jeu
23 avr.	Session de jeu 8: 7 mars 1759 : Discours finaux (lectures indiquées sur Blackboard)	Préparer votre discours n.3 (rendre la version écrite sur Blackboard avant le cours)
25 avr.	Séance-bilan (debrief session) et conclusion du cours : –Qu’est-ce qui s’est réellement passé après ? –Qu’est-ce qu’on peut apprendre de cette « crise des Lumières » aujourd’hui ? (lectures indiquées sur Blackboard)
30 avr.	[« Make-Up Day » seulement si nécessaire]	Rendre l’essai de réflexion via Blackboard avant 23h59 le 10 mai