French and Francophone

Virtual Only: All presentations will be delivered via Zoom regardless of whether the presenters are in-person.

Cyrielle Faivre (University of Calgary)

Due to the crisis in the Humanities largely impacting enrollment in foreign languages and the chronic budgetary cuts in North American universities and colleges, French as an academic discipline is forced to reinvent itself to survive. This roundtable proposes brainstorming concrete ideas and best practices to rethink and renew the French curriculum at the undergraduate and graduate levels. How can we make French courses, from beginner’s level to advanced classes, more attractive to students? What types of courses would interest and benefit the new generation of students? And how can we turn these courses into assets for future employment opportunities? Presenters are invited to share their experiences with curricular changes in their home institutions. This roundtable will also welcome reflections on the professionalization of the discipline but also on the role that literature can play in this new configuration.

Please send abstracts (200-300 words) in French or in English by September 10, 2025.

This roundtable seeks to discuss best practices to renew the French curriculum at the undergraduate and graduate levels to increase enrollment (and student interest) in French courses.