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Introductory Course in Québec Studies

CAS 359: Profiles of Québec

State University of New York, College at Plattsburgh
Division of Arts and Science

Prepared by:

Mark P. Richard, Ph.D.
Coordinator, Canadian Studies Program
Associate Professor of History and Canadian Studies
Office: Ward Hall 217B
Phone: (518) 564-2226
Fax: (518) 564-2300
E-mail: mark.richard@plattsburgh.edu

Introduction

Canada consists of two founding European societies: France and Britain. France claimed northern North America as a result of voyages made by Jacques Cartier in the St. Lawrence River Valley between 1534 and 1542, and the subsequent establishment of a permanent settlement at Québec by Samuel de Champlain in 1608. Britain firmly established its presence in northern North America after conquering New France in 1759-1760. On the eve of the American Revolution--as a security measure--Britain officially sanctioned French institutions, language, religion, and civil laws; since the Québec Act of 1774, there has existed an English-French duality in Canada that continues to the present day. From these French and British origins, Canada evolved into a bilingual and bicultural nation-state.

Since the British conquest of New France, French speakers of northern North America have employed different strategies to preserve their language and their culture. Today, over eighty percent of the Québécois speak French as their principal language. In recent decades, the English-French duality in Canada has found expression in confrontations between Québec and the rest of Canada. Québec has sought more influence over linguistic, cultural, economic, and other matters affecting French speakers in the province. It has argued for "distinct society" status within the nation-state of Canada, and it has had two referenda on whether or not to pursue sovereignty. This course will take a multidisciplinary approach to introduce students to the historical evolution, society, politics, and culture of Québec. Through the study of that predominantly French-speaking North American community, the course will highlight various strategies through which francophones have pursued survivance, or cultural survival, from 1774 to the present.

Profiles of Québec will serve as the cornerstone academic course offering of the newly-created Institute on Québec Studies at Plattsburgh State University. The course will complement existing courses in Canadian Studies. CAS 111: Introduction to Canada will serve as a pre-requisite course, ensuring that students gain an understanding of Canada as a whole before they focus on the particularities of what up to now has been and continues to be one of Canada's ten provinces. Profiles of Québec will also complement the following existing courses on Québec offered by various departments on campus:

To be offered every second or third semester, Profiles of Québec will provide a multi-disciplinary introduction to Québec from the perspectives of the social sciences and the humanities. The course will examine Québec's geography, history, economics, politics, culture, literature, and arts, as well as Québec's quest for international status through increased outreach activities with France, la Francophonie, the United States, as well as other countries and international bodies.

Goals

The goals of this course are to help students to:

  1. Understand major geographical, historical, economic, political, cultural, and literary themes that have shaped modern Québec;
  2. Analyze and integrate information from readings, lectures, class discussions, and audiovisual materials; and
  3. Sharpen note-taking, discussion, reading, writing, critical thinking, and research skills.

Course Structure

Seminar Format: Class discussions will be supplemented periodically with two or three films, and guest presentations from on-campus faculty, outside lecturers, and distinguished Québec scholars. In addition, students will have the opportunity to experience Québec first-hand through participation in a field trip to la belle province. Attendance to, and active participation in, all class meetings is expected. Missed class time represents an irrevocable loss of part of the course for both the individual and the group. To emphasize the role of each student's contribution to the course, class participation will constitute fifteen percent of the course grade.

Required Readings:

Writing Assignments

All written assignments must be word-processed, proofread for spelling and grammatical errors, and handed in at the beginning of the class period on the date they are due. Grades will be reduced by one full letter grade for each day (or part of a day) an assignment is late.

Summary-reaction papers: For every other class meeting, students will be asked to prepare a one-paragraph summary of the key questions addressed in the readings; in addition, students will be asked to generate a one-paragraph reaction to the issues the authors raise. These two-paragraph summary-reaction papers will serve to focus classroom discussions of the required readings.

Take-home exams: In lieu of formal, written examinations, students will have two take-home essay exams to write. The two essays, of approximately five to eight word-processed pages in length, will require students to analyze and synthesize information from readings, class discussions, and films introduced in the course. They will receive the exam questions one week before the essays are due. Students will be evaluated upon how well they respond to the essay questions, the amount and range of evidence they present in support of their arguments, and the quality of their organization and written expression. Each take-home exam will be worth fifteen percent of the course grade.

Research paper: This assignment is designed to deepen students' knowledge of a topic in Québec Studies. It should also help students sharpen their research and writing abilities, skills that they will find invaluable in their future job, career, or profession.

Students will be asked to submit a prospectus during the fourth week of the semester. The prospectus should describe their proposed topic and the question(s) that will guide their research endeavor. The prospectus should explain how the sources they have found can support a term paper, and it should highlight the ways in which the sources differ in their perspective or interpretation of the topic. In addition, students will need to supply a bibliography containing at least six to eight sources, no more than half of which can be drawn from the internet.

Students will be guided through the other steps of term paper production. They will be required to submit an outline, a draft of their introduction with a thesis statement, and a preliminary draft of their term paper. Individual meetings with the instructor will take place to discuss ways to strengthen the preliminary draft. The final product should consist of 10 to 15 pages that follow a conventional format for citations (e.g., A.P.A. or Chicago Style.) The research essay will be evaluated upon the development of the topic, the amount and range of evidence presented in answer to the research question, and the quality of organization and written expression. Students will be asked to produce two copies of their final paper so that one of their peers can also evaluate/critique their final product, providing students with the opportunity to learn from each other.

N.B.: Students will have the option of submitting written assignments in either English or French.

Evaluation

Proposed Calendar

Selected Bibliography of Works in English for Further Reading and Research

History
Geography
Government and Politics
Business and Economics
Sociology
Arts
Language
Literature
Native Studies

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

If you would like more information about the Institute on Québec Studies at Plattsburgh State, please contact:

Christopher Kirkey, Ph.D.
Director, Institute on Québec Studies
Phone: (518) 564-2086
Fax: (518) 564-2112
E-mail: quebec@plattsburgh.edu

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