Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Contemporary French Society
MIT OpenCourseWare offers this intermediate French-language course on French attitudes toward education, work, family, and institutions. Students compare French and American materials, including questionnaires, opinion polls, news reports, and historical, anthropological, and literary texts, to examine differing notions of politeness, friendship, and formality that shape interpersonal communication. The course is aimed at students planning to study or work in France and builds relevant language skills alongside cultural analysis throughout. Materials include readings, comparative assignments, and discussion topics drawn from French and American sources, taught entirely in French. It suits learners who already have some French proficiency and want to move beyond grammar drills into how culture shapes everyday interaction, institutions, and social expectations in contemporary France. As with most MIT OpenCourseWare offerings, materials are free to access with no certificate provided.