Course Description
Through expository readings, digital media, and case studies, students will analyze basic economic and policy trends in the French-speaking world. This course is ideal for students aspiring to internships with international organizations, placements with the Peace Corps, and Masters programs in international affairs and international business.
Athena Title
French for the Global Economy
Prerequisite
(FREN 3020 or FREN 3020H) and (FREN 3100 or FREN 3150)
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students will have learned to use French in order to: 1) Identify the major global trends shaping the lives of French speakers in North America, Europe, and Africa; 2) Describe the economic and political objectives of policy reforms in francophone Africa; 3) Analyze how the concept of development durable influences business and government decision-making; 4) Advocate positions on transnational policy problems; and 5) Evaluate the risk to foreign aid and foreign direct investments in different francophone countries. In addition to regular formative assessment tasks, these objectives will be evaluated according to the following summative assignments: • a white paper on an issue of their choice at the midterm, and • a country risk assessment as a final project.
Topical Outline
Postcolonial Political Economy: A brief history of the past 60 years Macroeconomic trends in Africa • Interpreting basic indicators • Transformations of the public sector • Transformation and adaptation of public sector unions • The Digital Divide Climate policy in the world economy • Negotiating major accords • Public policy solutions and their discontents • Sustainable corporate governance • Le marketing durable Public health • Covid and its impact on the world economy • NGO actors • The pharmaceutical industry in the francophone world Project finance • Basics • Public aid • Private investments • Transparency • Evaluating risk
Syllabus