Exciting new FRIT courses are premiering in autumn 2025! Cultures of Resistance (FR 3803) is a GE in the Citizenship for a Diverse & Just World Theme created by Prof. Adela Lechintan-Siefer. French Kiss: Love and Sex in the French Tradition (FR 3804) is a new distance course created by Prof. Jennifer Willging in the GE Traditions, Cultures, and Transformations. And we feature Medical French (FR 3503), to be co-taught by Visiting Professor André Leblanc, of Dalarna University in Sweden. Green Italy (IT 3001) explores environmental issues through the lens of Italian culture and geography, current events, and historical art and literature. Italian Romances (IT 3051) is a beautiful course taught by Prof. Jonathan that traces the power and durability of the romance storytelling tradition from medieval chivalry formulations to contemporary forms (e.g. Westerns, Fantasy, Space Operas). Just a few examples of the creativity of our faculty as they seek to meet students where they are and draw them into exploring pressing questions about relating to each other, to the past and future, to different cultures, and caring for our world. Share the word about these and our other courses. We welcome all students, from incoming undergrads to Program 60 participants!
Myself, I am excited to teach “Le féérique et le fantastique: Enchantment in French-language texts and culture” (FR 4401), a capstone seminar asking why audiences of French-language texts and media have sought tales of otherworldly power, from the earliest texts in the vernacular to present.
We are delighted to welcome Ryan Joyce as our new Assistant Professor of Global French in autumn 2025, following a successful national search. His work in Martinique got him interviewed on the local radio recently. He is running a summer Haitian Creole language class (“Kickstart Kreyòl”) whose strong enrollment is an indicator of lively interest from central Ohio community members who currently work with Haitian populations, as well Ohio State affiliates.
Among the high points this spring, Night of Ideas/ Nuit des Idées held this April at the Wexner Center for the Arts, one that showcased many of our faculty. Looking forward to bringing this international event to Ohio on an annual basis! Prof. Benjamin Hoffmann’s many efforts through the French Center of Excellence and seeking grants were foundational in making it happen. Under the vision and organization of Wex Director Gaëtane Verna and Curator of Academic and Public Programs Emily Haidet, every space in the Center came alive. I had never experienced it like that before. We are thrilled to have such opportunities to partner with them. The contributions were riveting and moving. I learned so much from Prof. of History Bart Elmore’s keynote, which put the history of climate change action and obfuscation into perspective and galvanized us to action. Prof. Lucille Toth’s “On Board(h)ers” group gave an electric performance, with creative use of the space and audience interaction. In the black box theater, with bistro seating and catering from La Chatelaine, the series of Flash Talks was riveting. The audience was intrigued by terms such as “Regenerative Engagement” in Prof. Maurice Stevens’s discussion of how to reach out respectfully and sensitively to groups who have experienced trauma. Dr. Ryan Joyce had some people in tears as he talked about how the people of Haiti have suffered unfair stereotyping for several centuries. His vibrant presentation celebrated their influential and unprecedented revolution and unique culture. Everyone at my table with nodding as he spoke, very moved. I loved Prof. of Italian Jonathan Mullins’ introductory remarks about wanting to get out of the boring American suburbs as a teen only to realize that kids in Europe probably found their world boring too. His discussion of speed’s potential for trauma made me want to hear more. Prof. Dorry Noyes blew me away with her witty and erudite survey of how J.L. Austin’s term “performative” has gone from denoting the positive potential of the use of words to one expressing how marketers and politicians make false things seem true through their declarative statements. I was inspired by Prof Joyce Chen’s suggestions for reframing “immigration” in terms of labor mobility, and how shifting the focus from employers to individuals could be to mutual benefit.
The inaugural Mancini lecture series was a joy. The talk by Prof. Karla Mallette of the University of Michigan brought together such a stimulating set of cultural moments and trends across the pre-modern Mediterranean. That gambling fever would give rise to probability theories which would be integrated into all sorts of books was riveting. I was blown away by the performance of Giuliana Musso’s play “Dentro” at the Wexner Center for the Arts. It made such an exemplary case for the power of theater and storytelling to examine, understand, and resolve emotional and social issues in ways that justice systems, social services, and therapists cannot. Deepest thanks to the Mancini family whose generosity in memory of Prof. Albert Mancini made these events happen. Thanks to Profs. Jonathan Mullins and Jonathan Combs-Schilling for their magnanimous hosting and organization of the events.
Francophone Day / Journée Francophone, March 20, grew this year to include a video contest for high school students, a screening of “Le Règne animal” (2023) at the Wexner Center auditorium, and coordinated with the CLLC World Language Party, and the Jules Verne Lecture in Creative Writing by Prof. Chase Cormier, “One Word at a Time, One Breath at a Time: How Chase Cormier Writes Now” about his novel Mal (Editions Perce-Neige, 2024) composed in his native French of Louisiana. Many thanks to Prof. Kate Schlosser who headed the organization with the able help of Dr. Anne Mutidjo, and to Profs. Adela Lechintan-Siefer and Maggie Flinn for the film screening. This is a wonderful annual event.
We are so proud of our graduating students. I particularly want to highlight the fascinating thesis topics of those receiving PhDs. This spring, Michela Bertossa defended her dissertation “Donne e Madri Degeneri. Reproduction, Gender, and Class in Liberal Italy (1861-1922)” and is headed to Coastal Carolina University. In summer, we have Demetrio Antolini’s, titled “Thinking with the City: Contemporary Neapolitan Cinema from 2012–2022”; and Genevieve Berendt’, titled “She Speaks for the Trees: Exegetical Ecofeminism from Medieval French Forests.” She has taken a position at the University of Minnesota-Morris this fall. They have all been such terrific contributors to our Department life—as thinkers, instructors, hosts to visiting scholars and prospective students, and volunteers for all manner of tasks.
Congratulations also to our wonderful academic program coordinator, Matthew Lang, who defended his MA thesis, entitled "Embracing Comfort and Discomfort in Otherness: Constructive Shame and Criticism in Citizenship Education", in Philosophy and History of Education.
Looking forward to 2025-26, in the works are community and K-12 events for the Settimana della Lingua Italiana, an international event week in October spotlighting Italian language and culture around the world; a French Immersion Day for local high school students on campus, in November; and plans for another French Film Festival sponsored by the Villa Albertine. There will be the French Center of Excellence and Mancini lecture series as well.
Hope to see you at some events! Your presence and support makes it all matter.
