French Thesis ideas?

jonsie

Doing and honours degree and need to write a french thesis....have no ideas for thesis topics. Basically it has to be on an aspect of french culture/france itself and possibly in comparison to Ireland. Lecturer has already shot down anything that is too political or anything too vast like....health care policies/education etc...
Her only insight was on a past student who did it on bottled water in france (??)
any ideas would be mucho appreciated:)

peckerhead

You're talking about an undergraduate dissertation, not a thesis. What are the word limits? I'd say it's far better to pick something fairly narrow and deal with it in some detail/depth rather than give a superficial treatment of a vague, sprawling topic like "health care policies/education, etc."

Also, pick a topic you know something about and/or have a genuine interest in. What kind of degree course are you doing, and where?

jonsie

Doing international business and languages in letterkenny. Word counts only 5000 so its pretty much an essay...thats just for french. Our business one is 12,000 words.
Was kind of hoping someone who had done a similar course could give me some ideas on topics. Another student is doing it on minority languages in france-mainly breton and comparing it to the irish language. so far thats the only idea lecturer has ok'd!
tough cookie!

O.

What about the differences between French speaking countries (France, Canada and Belgium - I put out some African countries)

ValerieR

How about food in France and the differences with Ireland :

- Comparison of traditions and how they have evolved
- The art of laying out a table here and there (For example, in the art of laying out a table, the fork is put prongs up in France and prongs down in Ireland ...)
- The fact that the French don't mind looking at something in their plates that still looks like what it used to be when it was alive whereas the Irish tend to prefer it more "anonymous"

Some ideas - I hope it'll help.

(I want a copy of your essay if you decide on one of these ! )

Valerie

Aard

O. wrote: »

What about the differences between French speaking countries (France, Canada and Belgium - I put out some African countries)

Let's not forget la Suisse Romande! :P


Seriously, I think this is a good essay idea.

peckerhead

French is spoken by about 160 million people in 75 countries around the world. Check out www.francophonie.org, you'll find loads of ideas.

Have you to write it in French or English?

Rubecula

You could perhaps highlight the differences in Political history between France and Ireland? Or the similarities for that matter.

jonsie

The francophone is a really good idea however we already covered that in class last year so doubtful she'd allow it done again.
Political is a no go...she wants nothing too broad.
Starting to freak out a tad! Cant think of anything and she's giving no pointers! I doubt she'd ok the food one either...her response to every suggested topic is "so what? what do u aim to achieve from that?"
see what im up against?!!
Another student is doing it on why so many french fishermen come to Ireland to fish-carting all their fishing equipment with them yada yada when they can clearly stay in france. Shockingly she ok'd that one! So im guessing she's looking for something basic

jonsie

P.s....has to be written in french!

Aard

How in France the rich live in the centre of town and the suburbs are for the poor. Relatively pointed, and easy to compare and expand on.