Topics II: In-Perspective: Phobias

Fear pervades contemporary discourse. "Health scares" generate anxiety around the possibility of disease. "FOMO" arouses worry about missing out on exciting events. "Inferiority complexes" illuminate fears of inadequacy. Although often unfounded, pathological fears known as phobias-from claustrophobia to xenophobia-structure perceptions of reality and inspire fear-driven fictional plots. In this course we will probe representations of fear-based obsessions, neuroses, and manias to understand not only how phobias permeate French and Francophone cultural production, but also to diagnose how they fuel the stories we tell about ourselves and others. This course counts towards the French for Medical Professionals track. Prereq: Fr 307D. Priority will be given to students who have not yet taken an In-Perspective course.