FR3M68: May '68

Module code: FR3M68

Module provider: Languages and Cultures; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Sophie Heywood, email: S.L.Heywood@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): Before taking this module, you must take FR2L2 Intermediate French Language or FR2L3 Advanced French Language I or FR2L4 Advanced French Language II, or equivalent. (Open)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 9 July 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The global upheaval caused by the protest movements around 1968 is held to have revolutionised social structures, overturned cultural conventions, challenged political ideologies, and catalysed civil rights activism by women, gay people and ethnic minorities.This module examines the events of May ‘68 in France in the context of this wider moment of global protest and counter-cultural turbulence, to examine and question its legacy for contemporary French politics, society and culture. 

This module develops students' understanding of the significant political, social and cultural change in this turbulent and contested moment in contemporary French history, as well as introducing them to some of the key texts, visual sources, ideas (and ideologies) from the period. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the events of May ’68, and the longer term movement of cultural and social change it represented, assess its significance and place the French events within the wider comparative and transnational context of the global ‘68 
2. Demonstrate a grasp of major debates among historians in this area, and the ability to analyse different perspectives on the period from the standpoint of political, social and cultural history 
3. Appraise the ideas presented in lectures, seminars, or secondary materials 
4. Organise and articulate a coherent written argument in coursework and under examination conditions 

Module content

Topics for study may include: 

• Student protests 
• Social change 
• Political change 
• Counter-Culture and the aesthetics of protest 
• Second Wave Feminism 
• Third Worldism and the anti-imperial struggle 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The course will be taught using a mixture of lectures (in French) and seminars. 

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs