School of Languages and Area Studies (SLAS)
Past Conference Proceedings
France, North Africa and the Middle East
Interdisciplinary and Multimedia Perspectives
Held at the University of Portsmouth on 18 March 2009
This study afternoon focused on teaching methods and interdisciplinary approaches to France, North Africa and the Middle East. The event was sponsored by the Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies Subject Centre and the Centre for European and International Studies Research (CEISR). It is part of a series of events leading up to the Association for the Study of Modern and Contemporary France’s 30th Annual Conference on ‘France and the Mediterranean: representations, policy, transnationalism’, to be held at the University of Portsmouth 3-5 September 2009 – for more details log on to www.asmcf.org.
The purpose of this webpage is not only to be a record of the study afternoon, but to create a useful resource for lectures and students interested in questions of historiographical change, interdisciplinarity, new technology and their impact on scholarship and teaching. It contains pod casts and short written interviews with those who participated in the study day. Your feedback, comments and questions are welcome – please contact Dr Natalya Vince at natalya.vince@port.ac.uk.
Written Q and As
Dr Michael Brett, Emeritus Reader in the History of North Africa, School of Oriental and African Studies discusses received ideas, partisan perspectives and key reading in Algerian history. Please click here to view the document. (*Document is in pdf format)
Dr Hélène Gill, Principle Lecturer in French, University of Westminster outlines the key features of late 19th century French Orientalist painting, challenging binary readings of Orientalist paintings as an expression of Western domination. Please click here to view the document. (*Document is in pdf format)
Podcasts
Dr Joseph McGonagle, Lecturer in Cultural Studies in the French Speaking World, University of Manchester answers questions on key themes in filmic representations of Franco-Algerian relations, the advantages and pitfalls of using film to help students understand historical and contemporary Franco-Algerian relations and gives his essential viewing (interview carried out by Natalya Vince).
Dr Marie Pierre Gibert, University of Southampton answers questions on key themes in the relationship between politics and cultural practices in Israel, the advantages and difficulties of interdisciplinary approaches and tells us tales of field work and dancing. (interview carried out by Natalya Vince).