Welcome to Voyages

In May 2014, UF’s College of Journalism and Communications Study Abroad Program will travel to France and England. Students in MMC 4302/6936 World Communication Systems and RTV 4931 Ethics and Problems will experience first-hand the media in these fascinating two countries that have such a long history with the United States. Check this site for updates on that trip.

UF students Lexy Scheen and Erica Rakow traveled to France in 2009 as part of the study abroad program

England and France in the Movies

Experienced world travelers recommend reading novels and watching movies to learn about the unique culture and personalities of a place. 

Here are a few recommendations for movies about England and France:

The Queen (2006). Directed by Stephen Frears. 103 minutes. The death of estranged Princess Diana raises questions about the modern British monarchy and its relevance to the country. The films considers the role of the media in framing the story and how the royal family used the press to shape the conversation.

The Iron Lady (2011). Directed by Phyllida Lloyd. 105 minutes. Britain’s former Prime Minister looks back on her controversial time in office and reflects on what her rise to power cost her and her family. The role of the press in covering and shaping the public image of Margaret Thatcher is significant to the story. 

Saving Private Ryan (1998). Directed by Steven Spielberg. 169 minutes. Starting with a dramatic depiction of the invasion of the Normandy Beaches, the movie traces the fate of a group of soldiers sent to rescue a young American whose brothers were killed in World War Two. 

Chocolat (2000). Directed by Lasse Hallström. 121 minutes. The mores and morality of a French village are challenged when a mysterious woman and her daughter open a chocolate shop. 

La Vie en Rose (2007). Directed by Olivier Dahan. 140 minutes. Edith Piaf was the “songbird sweetheart” of France, but lived a difficult life and died young. Her Pere Lachaise gravesite in Paris is still visited by crowds everyday, although she died in 1963.

 

NPR Correspondent to Speak with Classes

National Public Radio’s Eleanor Beardsley, based in Paris, is scheduled to speak with the Ethics and Problems and World Communication Systems classes while they are in France. Beardsley has a close connection to UF: her father was a graduate of the chemistry program. She spoke with UF students when they visited in 2009.

Course Documents Available Now

Students enrolled in MMC 4302/6936 World Communication Systems can download the World Comm Syllabus 2014, and handouts on class assignments, including the guidelines for the Media Systems Profile, the Media Systems Profile Team Presentations, the Reflection Piece Guidelines, and the description for the Comparative Position Paper Assignment. Documents for RTV 4931 Ethics and Problems, including the RTV 4931 Syllabus Summer 2014, are also available now. Handouts for each of the major assignments include the Team Presentation Assignment Summer Tip Sheet, the Review of House at Sugar Beach Assignment, the Policy Memo Tip Sheet Summer 2014, and the Comparative Position Paper Summer Assignment. Note that the book review assignment is due before the trip by May 2!