FREN 059. Extraterrestres, robots, monstres: La Science-fiction française et le posthumanisme

The present course is anchored in a series of encounters with the types of radical Others made possible through science fiction. From Moon dwellers to robots, from deep sea monsters to interdimensional organisms, the beings found within this course’s syllabus speak to a complex posthumanism underlying the rich history of French science fiction. Throughout the semester, we will board 17^th-century rockets, 19^th-century submarines, and 20^th-century gliders as we explore questions tied to the nature of consciousness, ecological disaster, techno-dystopia, and encounters with (and empathy for) alterity. Particular attention will be paid to the merveilleux scientifique of J.-H. Rosny (whose Xipéhuz and Moedigen are among the most unique of all sci-fi creatures), as well as to the proto-steampunk of Jules Verne-additional texts (and/or excerpts of texts) by: Cyrano de Bergerac, Voltaire, Auguste de Villiers de l’Isle-Adam, Louise Michel, Camille Flammarion, Ágota Kristóf, among others.
Humanities.
1 credit.
Fall 2025. Robison.
Catalog chapter: Modern Languages and Literatures: French and Francophone Studies
Department website: https://www.swarthmore.edu/french-francophone-studies

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