France Now: Media, Culture and Social Change
Open to students of French and anyone from other programmes with a basic background in French, this paper immerses you in the headlines, hashtags and street debates that define life in France today. You will track current affairs through news clips, podcasts, memes and social-media reels, then unpack what they reveal about identity, climate, work, equality and humour. Fortnightly creative workshops let you remix the news into media projects, while lectures give you cultural context the vocabulary and to keep pace with fast-moving events. Translation tools and subtitled media ensure everyone can follow the discussion. By the end of the semester end you will read French media with confidence, speak and write more fluently, and carry a digital portfolio that proves you can think critically, and creatively, in two languages.
About this paper
| Paper title | Topics in French |
|---|---|
| Subject | French |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 2 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) | $1,103.10 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- FREN 211 or 232
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music
- Eligibility
This paper is suitable for students with at least a basic understanding of French. Translation tools, subtitled materials and bilingual support will enable participation. Contact the programme administrator for further information on prerequisites for this paper: languages@otago.ac.nz
- Contact
- More information link
- Teaching staff
- Teaching Arrangements
Two 50-minute lectures per week, plus a two-hour creative workshop every second week.
- Textbooks
There is no set textbook. All required materials – news articles, videos, podcasts, and media tools – will be provided on Brightspace. Supplementary readings may be recommended based on project topics.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the paper will be able to:
- Analyse and interpret contemporary French media (news, social, audiovisual) in their social and political context.
- Explain key debates in France on digital identity, meme culture, education-to-work transition, protest, diversity and media ethics.
- Produce original French-language media artefacts (podcast, meme, short video, fact-check) demonstrating B2-level accuracy and creativity (for French language students).
- Apply fact-checking tools and media-literacy frameworks to verify or debunk French online content.
- Compare French youth issues with those in Aotearoa New Zealand and other cultures, showing intercultural awareness.
- Compile a bilingual digital portfolio that evidences research skill, critical thinking and reflective practice.
France Now: Media, Culture and Social Change
Open to students of French and anyone from other programmes with a basic background in French, this paper immerses you in the headlines, hashtags and street debates that define life in France today. You will track current affairs through news clips, podcasts, memes and social-media reels, then unpack what they reveal about identity, climate, work, equality and humour. Fortnightly creative workshops let you remix the news into media projects, while lectures give you cultural context, the vocabulary and help you keep pace with fast-moving events. Translation tools and subtitled media ensure everyone can follow the discussion. By the end of the semester, you will read French media with confidence, speak and write more fluently, and carry a digital portfolio that proves you can think critically and creatively, in two languages.
About this paper
| Paper title | Topics in French |
|---|---|
| Subject | French |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 2 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for 2027 have not yet been set |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- FREN 211 or FREN 232
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music
- Eligibility
This paper is suitable for students with at least a basic understanding of French. Translation tools, subtitled materials and bilingual support will enable participation. Contact the programme administrator for further information on prerequisites for this paper: languages@otago.ac.nz.
- Contact
- More information link
- Teaching staff
- Teaching Arrangements
Two 50-minute lectures per week, plus a two-hour creative workshop every second week.
- Textbooks
There is no set textbook. All required materials – news articles, videos, podcasts and media tools – will be provided on Aoroa. Supplementary readings may be recommended based on project topics.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the paper will be able to:
- Analyse and interpret contemporary French media (news, social, audiovisual) in their social and political context.
- Explain key debates in France on digital identity, meme culture, education-to-work transition, protest, diversity and media ethics.
- Produce original French-language media artefacts (podcast, meme, short video, fact-check) demonstrating B2-level accuracy and creativity (for French language students).
- Apply fact-checking tools and media-literacy frameworks to verify or debunk French online content.
- Compare French youth issues with those in Aotearoa New Zealand and other cultures, showing intercultural awareness.
- Compile a bilingual digital portfolio that evidences research skill, critical thinking and reflective practice.