FREN 076. Beyond the Boulevards: The Black Atlantic in the City of Light

Paris, the “Colonial Metropolis” is known for its wide, tree-lined Haussmannian boulevards punctuated by off-white limestone buildings. How did the City of Light become the “second home” for the African diaspora in the Transatlantic world? This seminar explores how the Paname not just as a French capital, but as a crucial rhizomatic node in the Black Atlantic became a site where African, American, and Caribbean identities collided and transformed creating a distinctly modern/post-modern expression. From the jazz-soaked nights of 1920’s Montmartre to the contemporary hip-hop scenes in the Louvre expressed in visual culture, we will explore how Black artists used “the view from another shore” to redefine freedom and citizenship. Students will master the art of academic writing through iterative drafts, close-reading/viewing workshops, and an original research project on the intersection of race, space, nationality, and cultural memory in the past and present from Josephine Baker, Beyoncé, to Aya Nakamura and beyond. Taught in English. W course.
Humanities.
Writing course.
1 credit.
Fall 2026. Smith.
Catalog chapter: Modern Languages and Literatures: French and Francophone Studies
Department website: https://www.swarthmore.edu/french-francophone-studies

Access the class schedule to search for sections.