This is a first at the renowned Harvard University: since this fall, there has been a course on Francophonie in North America. Studying Quebec, of course, but also those lesser-known communities in the United States. The goal? Keep “the flame of North American Francophonie”.

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Lea Carrier The Press

At the end of the line, Claire-Marie Brisson is feverish.

The Franco-American professor with Quebec roots will be giving the course “Discovering the French language in North America” for the first time this fall, a French-language advanced course offered at Harvard University in Boston.

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY CLAIRE-MARIE BRISSON

Claire-Marie Brisson, Professor of Francophonie at Harvard University

Over the next few weeks, students will explore the continent to discover the Francophone communities that live (or have lived) there, from Quebec to Louisiana, after a detour via the Great Lakes and New England.

The aim of the course: to discover the rich history of North American Francophonie, but above all to “give visibility” to those communities that exist “on the periphery” of a dominant English-speaking culture.

“How can we better represent them in English?” How can we secure a future for them? And how can we as academics act as a supportive network? asks the teacher.

In the United States, the French-speaking communities have a painful past marked by assimilation. Many families have lost their language and with it a part of their identity, their history. Louisiana, for example, banned the teaching of French from 1916 until the founding of the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana in 1968, Ms. Brisson recalls.

“Some communities here in the United States fondly remember the echo of the French language in their homes,” she said.

We must work to support those who speak or want to learn French so that the flame of North American Francophonie never goes out.

Claire-Marie Brisson, Professor of Francophonie at Harvard University

A “misunderstood” story

Claire-Marie Brisson grew up in Detroit, Michigan, the granddaughter of a Quebecois who immigrated to the United States. At home she spoke French and listened to Radio Canada.

In his family, language is “the symbol of where we come from and where we are going”. “The language represents the culture of our family. If we stopped speaking French, we would have lost our connection to our past and our present,” explains the professor, who also hosts a podcast, The North American Francophone Podcast.

This motivated her to pursue a PhD in French Studies from the University of Virginia. Topic of his thesis: Identity and traumas of Canadian Francophonie in the 20th century.

“What I discovered is that the history of Francophones in the United States is not well known,” says the professor. There are few resources on these communities, and fewer still that are not stereotyped.

When I ask my students what they know about Quebec, they think of breakup, maple syrup, and snow. It shocks me!

Claire-Marie Brisson, Professor of Francophonie at Harvard University

At Harvard, some colleagues sometimes use French Canadian or Quebec resources in their courses. “Which I think is very, very good, but I was wondering if there has ever been a course that focused on Francophonie in North America. I was told no. So I said to myself, “Okay, I’ll do that,” she says.

This is how “Discovery of the French language in North America” ​​came about, which has already aroused the curiosity of 22 enthusiastic students – and she hopes more in the coming semesters!

to build bridges

After a week of lessons, Claire-Marie Brisson is already enthusiastic about her group: “The students are very interested! »

The majority of their students are American, many of whom are of Quebec or French-American descent. The rest of the class are from diverse backgrounds, including Africa, which also has large French-speaking communities.

The students share their perspectives and it’s very interesting.

Claire-Marie Brisson, Professor of Francophonie at Harvard University

On the program: you will study poetry by French-speaking Louisiana authors and will be visited by Quebec author Brad Cormier, who traced the footsteps of French and Canadian explorers in his history of Rivièrances.

The group will also engage in discussions with students from Université Laval, always aiming to give communities a voice – and build bridges to them.

” I think that'[ainsi]we can bring discussions about francophone communities to the fore and reflect on what our future looks like in the plural without borders,” concludes Claire-Marie Brisson.

dr Miguel Gómez Balestreri during a conference at the Colombian Senate in Bogotá in May 2019.SecreSenado (RR. SS.)

Franco-Spanish professor Miguel Gomis Balestreri has spent many years of his academic life studying the theory of degrowth, a line of thought that jumped into public debate in Colombia a few weeks ago because the Minister of Mines and Energy, Irene Vélez, has asserted that it is necessary to require developed countries to “downsize their economic models” so that the effects of climate change do not hit society as badly. His words didn’t sit well with the National Mining Congress, went viral and earned him hundreds of criticisms from politicians and business leaders. Cambio Radical Senator David Luna said on his social networks: “What needs to be reduced is naivety and improvisation when it comes to governing”; Mauricio Santamaría, president of the National Association of Financial Institutions (ANIF) Study Center, told the media that the decline “is tantamount to getting poorer and is bad by definition.”

However, Vélez’s statements reflect a proposal that has been implemented with concrete actions in various countries around the world. Gomis, Doctor of Political Science and International Relations at the Complutense University of Madrid and Professor at the Faculty of Political Science and International Relations at Javeriana University, speaks to EL PAÍS about the validity of the degrowth theory, the deep ignorance between traditional politics The Colombian culture and the climate catastrophe that will come unless we change the way we live. “Declining isn’t economic slowdown or poverty, it’s consuming less to live better,” he says.

Questions. How do you understand degrowth?

Answer. Degrowth is not just an economic theory, but a critical approach that also includes sociology and philosophy. Its support comes from the bioeconomy concept of Georgescu-Roegen (1971), one of the economists who in the 20th century was most critical of the neoclassical economics that governed the planet. Degrowth is not the same as a slowdown in gross domestic product (GDP). It’s a lot more complex. This school of thought contradicts the productivist logic, which associates well-being with consumption. It is not synonymous with poverty, but with consuming less in order to live better.

P Why does degrowth criticize the concept of GDP?

R GDP is an outdated indicator that does not really reflect wealth as it reflects the negative externalities of production, such as g. ecological deterioration, is not included in its measurement. So the first step for degrowthists is to recognize that continuing to measure the development of countries with GDP is a very serious mistake, as it falsely reflects wealth.

P He says degrowth suggests consuming less…

R This line of thought contradicts the productivist logic of the left or right, which links prosperity to consumption. Degrowth aims to offer a critical vision of our relationship with work, the objects we buy and the environment. This critical vision seeks to revalue a more ecologically conscious but also socially responsible way of life in the world.

Irene Vélez (right), Minister of Mines of Colombia, during a meeting with Minister of Tourism of Spain, María Reyes Maroto. GOVERNMENT OF COLOMBIA

P Some kind of sustainable growth?

R Not only that. Degrowth suggests that we need to be careful about our use of natural resources, yes. But it’s also a philosophical current that says we need to reclaim a human sense of life outside of commodification. That is why degrowth is critical of advertising and programmed obsolescence, the form of production that makes things less durable in order to sell more.

P What is the goal of degrowth?

R It asks us to examine our way of life. The two econometric bases that support this are very simple but very powerful. First, we cannot grow infinitely in a finite world. Second, people are not governed solely by maximizing their interests.

P That sounds very nice in theory, but can degrowth be applied in practice?

R Yes, there are already very simple, very concrete measures being implemented by governments in different parts of the world. For example, working fewer hours and dividing the work between more people, or forcing companies to make sure that cell phone components don’t break as quickly, or looking for families to regain free time. The main thing is that we don’t live for the economy, but the economy serves human life.

P Are there historical or recent experiences with degrowth applications in communities, in entire countries?

R The Kingdom of Bhutan is known for introducing a competitive measure with GDP years ago. It is a small Buddhist kingdom ruled by indicators such as luck. It is a country that has proposed a different way of measuring human well-being.

P Have Cuba or Venezuela applied degrowth policies?

R no This idea is absurd. What is happening in these countries has nothing to do with degrowth, but rather with a slowdown in capitalist terms.

P Are there any other places besides the Kingdom of Bhutan?

R There are many local level actions associated with degrowth. For example, the European Union has limited the planned obsolescence of technology products and forced all mobile phones of different brands to have a single charger. Today there is talk of recycling materials in the textile industry and of shorter supply chains between farmer and consumer in agribusiness. France has decided to reduce working hours from 40 to 35 hours a week, which means they are trying to spread working hours among more workers. This is degrowth.

P Could one say that it is possible to decrease and at the same time improve people’s quality of life?

R Total. The goal is precisely that, to live better.

P Sounds very utopian…

R It is not utopian to say that we can live better if we work fewer hours, are more responsible for the environment and spend more time with friends. It can be done, there are just people who are interested that we don’t think outside of this paradigm, because this paradigm generates wealth for them.

P Can degrowth help with climate protection?

R If we don’t lose weight, we won’t be able to avoid environmental collapse scenarios. And that’s important.

P What do you think of the criticism of the minister?

R I think the people who criticized it so badly didn’t understand what degrowth is. Degrowth is supported by extremely serious econometric approaches. We’re not talking about something improvised. Those who say this is ridiculous, illogical, or improvised forget that the most realistic thing to do is to know that we are headed for disaster if we continue as we have been.

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Prince Albert of Monaco married King Charles III. sent a heartfelt letter of congratulations on his accession to the throne.

The letter, shared on the Palais Princier de Monaco’s Instagram profile, came after the king paid tribute to the “inspirational” Queen Elizabeth II following her death on September 8.

Prince Albert, who has met both King Charles and the late Queen on numerous occasions, offered his “warmest congratulations” to the new King on his accession to the throne.

Prince Albert of Monaco married King Charles III. sent a heartfelt letter of congratulations on his accession to the throne. The royals are pictured together at Oslo Cathedral in 2001

Prince Albert writes in the guest book of a church next to a portrait of the Queen during a memorial service

The letter, shared on the Palais Princier de Monaco’s Instagram profile, came after the king paid tribute to the “inspirational” Queen Elizabeth II following her death on September 8

He said: “The Princess and I wish you every success in leading the people of the United Kingdom and the many great nations of the Commonwealth. I am confident that peace and stability will continue to flourish under your rule.

“I look forward to seeing the important work you have done throughout your life continue to flourish in the years to come.

“It is remarkable the great emphasis you place on sustainability, fighting climate change and protecting the oceans, which I know we both believe are of paramount importance to the future of our planet.

“On behalf of the citizens of the Principality of Monaco, I am honored to extend our best wishes for health and prosperity.”

Prince Albert, who has met both King Charles and the late Queen on numerous occasions, offered his “warmest congratulations” to the new King on his accession to the throne

Princess Charlene (left) paid tribute to a “great lady” as she offered her condolences to the British royal family

Earlier, Prince Albert and his wife Princess Charlene attended a service commemorating the late Queen at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Monaco.

The couple also sent a heartfelt tribute to the ‘great’ British monarch last weekend.

Charlene, 44, said she was “deeply saddened” by the news of the Queen’s death.

She added: “I am deeply saddened by the news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, a truly magnificent woman whose dedication and service has been recognized around the world throughout her 70-year reign.

“Today my thoughts are with her family, her children, her grandchildren, her great-grandchildren and the British people.”

The Prince and Princess of Monaco appeared deep in thought as they attended a service for the Queen at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Monaco last week

Princess Charlene took to her Instagram to offer her condolences to the British royal family and people

Prince Albert also posted a tribute to the Queen on Instagram, praising her “inspirational” reign.

He wrote: “Her Majesty’s unwavering devotion and devotion to her duty throughout your reign has always been most inspiring; It will be remembered and admired for a long time.

“She has truly represented the unity and dignity of the UK over the past seven decades.”

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene are pictured during a funeral service for Queen Elizabeth

Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria sits next to King Charles III in May 2004. and Crown Prince Albert of Monaco

Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully in Balmoral on Thursday September 8th at the age of 96.

After her death, King Felipe VI. and Queen Letizia of Spain their distant relatives with a heartfelt declaration.

The Spanish royal family echoed the sentiments of the Dutch and Swedish royal families in praising the Queen’s sense of duty to their country during her historic 70-year reign.

In a letter to King Charles III. on the Casa Real Twitter account, King Felipe said he would miss his Aunt Lilibet, a character close to him, “a lot”.

King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla meet Prince Albert at Clarence House in 2006

The coffin of Elizabeth II under the vaults of Westminster Hall, Wednesday September 14th. -Alastair Grant

Elizabeth II died at Balmoral, Scotland on Thursday September 8th and will be buried next Monday September 19th in the vault of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on the outskirts of London. In the meantime, his mortal remains will have been transported more than 800 kilometers and, above all, eleven days will have passed.

An atypical situation that raises questions, although the question is one of the most delicate: how to ensure the good state of preservation of a corpse over such a long period of time? René Deguisne, President of the French Embalming Institute, answers BFMTV.com.

An extraordinary delay

First of all, such a latency period between the death of the deceased and his burial – or here in the grave – is unusual, as the specialist confirms, citing the French example: “There are legal deadlines: six working days between death and burial. Ten days are exceptions. In this case, we must apply for an exemption from the prefecture or department.”

Let’s start by saying that the British authorities did not face such difficulties in the case of their monarch’s funeral. They did not say much about the procedures for protecting the queen’s body after her death. Little do we know, thanks to the British press, that the royal coffin is lined with lead. The first protection is not to expose the body too much to the air.

René Deguisne, who is skeptical about this, clarifies: “We are talking about lead, but above all we should be talking about an airtight coffin. In any case, it is a metal coffin that protects the body from air and moisture.”

preservation fluids and drainage

In addition to this material provision, the work of the undertaker will be decisive here. “We will proceed with the embalming care, first through arterial injection of formalin-based preservative fluids. These fluids fix the tissues,” represents the president of the French Institute of Embalming, adding that the operation is more or less the same as wait five or ten days, except that in this last option the professional must use more “concentrated” products.

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The operation therefore consists in injecting this liquid into the blood vessels and in particular into the arteries in order to slow down the effects of decomposition.

The expert can then initiate the second phase, drainage. “We will remove part of the physiological fluids present in the body,” continues René Deguisne. This justifies this last intervention, remembering that “our body is made up of almost 70% water”. A fact that unites the queen and ordinary mortals.

In these operations, according to our conservation expert, the situation is quite similar over five or six days than over eleven. Afterwards, the Queen will rest in the little-known George VI memorial at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.

She will be alongside her parents, sister and late husband Philip, whose remains must be brought to them as he currently rests in the royal crypt beneath the chapel.

Original article published on BFMTV.com