We were conscious that knowledge aboutsport was knowledge about society.

—Norbert Elias

French 452R/620R Sport as Metaphor, Professor Cropper, office hours 1PM M, W.

French Studies BA Expected Learning Outcomes1. Analyze and compare the cultures and practices that create French and Francophone identities.2. Analyze and interpret literary texts of the French speaking world.3. Demonstrate advanced competence in French speaking, listening, writing, and reading.

4. Develop attitudes and habits of thought and study that encourage life-long learning and continued contact with French studies.5. Gain skills necessary to the pursuit of personal goals such as graduate study or employment.

By the end of this course, if all goes well, you will be able to analyze literature from a "sporting" perspective, that is, you will be able to understand the cultural significance of sport and use that to read the class, power, or political structures metaphorically embedded in a work. You will also be able to think critically about contemporary sporting events and the analyze the social impact of sport.

To do well in this class, I suggest you do all the reading prior to attending class both to be prepared for quizzes and to be able to fully participate in class discussion; I also recommend you take good notes, even about comments that seem a bit extraneous—I will write the exam based on the direction we take in our conversations together; I encourage you to pay attention to the way we will analyze works of literature in our discussions—this is how I will expect you to analyze works for the final paper; finally, I recommend you look over your notes frequently and ask questions about the assigned reading or about current events in class (yes, even before the quiz).

A few policies: 1) all homework and quizzes are due at the beginning of class (I won't accept anything late but I will drop your lowest quiz/homework grade; 2) nothing can be submitted to me via email; 3) you are welcome to turn something in and leave class, but this will, of course, negatively affect your participation score.

The final is a composition that you can begin working on right away. I expect you to read and analyze either a specific sport as it is represented in one or two French literary works or to analyze a single literary work and use that work's representation of sports or games as the basis for your analysis. Repeating an argument we have made in class is not OK. You should find a text that has specific moments connected to sports, analyze those moments, and tie your analysis to the text's broader meaning. Or you could trace one sport through two or three texts and show how the cultural meaning of a given sport changes and how it is represented in literature of different periods. If you choose this last option be careful not to become too superficial in your analysis of the texts (in other words, don't look at so many examples that you forget to do any kind of significant critical analysis). These papers should be approximately 10 pages long and should include secondary sources from reputable journals or books. If you are a French major or minor, the paper should be written in French. If you are in French 620R the paper should be closer to 18 pages long. It should be double spaced in a proportional font and should follow MLA format with no extra spacing between paragraphs and one inch margins throughout. I would be happy to talk with you about your paper as you begin working on it.

Schedule (assigned readings should be read prior to class)avr 29 mer Introduction

why take this class?; using ARTFL; using the MLA database; MLA formatting review

mai 1 ven How to be "comme il faut"

Manuel de l'homme et de la femme comme il faut by Eugène Chapus (excerpt); Sport and Social Class by Pierre Bourdieu

4 lun Tennis

La Vénus d'Ille by Prosper Mérimée

6 m Bullfighting

Combats de taureaux by Prosper Mérimée; Introduction to Quest for Excitement by Norbert Elias and Eric Dunning

8 v Games of Chance

La Partie de trictrac by Prosper Mérimée; Enlightenment and the Shadows of Chance by Thomas Kavanagh (excerpt)

11 l Hunting

Lettre d'un lapin (anon.); Farce normande by Maupassant

13 m Fencing I

La Chanson de Roland (excerpt); Le Cid by Pierre Corneille; Encyclopédie entry on "duel" (on ARTFL)

15 v Fencing II

Discours sur les duels by Brantôme (excerpt); Chronique du règne de Charles IX by

Prosper Mérimée (excerpt)

18 l Olympics I (Origins)

Royalists and Republicans by Pierre de Coubertin

20 m Olympics II (Contemporary Issues)

TheSportsAcademic.com posts from Aug 2008 by Corry Cropper

22 v Poaching I

La Règle du jeu by Renoir (we will watch this in class)

25 l No class – Memorial Day

27 m Poaching II

Raboliot by Maurice Genevoix (excerpt)

29 v Doping & Le Tour de France I

Les Deux amants by Marie de France; The Tour de France and Cycling's Belle Epoque by Philippe Gaboriau

juin 1 l Doping & Le Tour de France II

Review of Willy Voet's Sexe, mensonges et petits vélos by Corry Cropper

3 m Zidane's Headbutt / Soccer in the U.S.

The Formation of the American Sport Space: "Crowding Out" and Other Factors in the Relegation and Marginalization of Soccer, from the book Offside by Andrei Markovits and Steven Hellerman

5 v Sports & the 2008 Presidential Election

8 l TBA

10 m TBA

12 v No Class

15 l Exam

Grade: Quizzes, homework, & participation 40%; exam 20%; final (paper) 40%.

Honor Code -- A Word on the Honor Code and on Dress and Grooming Standards:  Every student has agreed to abide by the Honor Code and Dress and Grooming Standards; failure to do so shows lack of respect for peers, teachers, and our sponsoring institution, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  In this course you will be expected, as a person of integrity, to maintain your commitment to the code and standards.

PlagiarismA Note on Plagiarism from A Brief Guide to the Writing of Student Papers (BYU GE Office, 1990): "Brigham Young University does not tolerate plagiarism.  When a student uses a purchased research paper, the work of another, the ideas or words of another, or portions there from, and represents this as his or her own work without giving the originator proper credit, then that student has plagiarized the source.  Any student who . . . plagiarizes the work of another [or cheats on any exam or assignment] risks a failing grade on the particular assignment, a failing grade in the class, and appearance before [the Honor Code Council]." In addition, using any kind of electronic translating device constitutes plagiarism in this course.

Accessibility IssuesBrigham Young University is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that reasonably accommodates qualified persons with accessibility issues.  If you have any accessibility issues that may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the University Accessibility Center in 1520 WSC (422-2767).  Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities.  Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by the UAC office.  If you need assistance or if you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against, you may seek resolution through established grievance policy and procedures.  You should contact the Equal Employment Office at 422-5895, D-282 ASB.

Preventing Sexual HarassmentTitle IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in an educational program or activity receiving federal funds.  The act is intended to eliminate sex discrimination in education.  Title IX covers discrimination in programs, admissions, activities, and student-to-student sexual harassment.  BYU’s policy against sexual harassment extends not only

to employees of the university but to students as well.   If you encounter unlawful sexual harassment or gender based discrimination, please talk to your professor; contact the Equal Employment Office at 422-5895; or contact the Honor Code Office at 422-2847.