A wide shot of a ceramics studio, featuring students working with pottery wheels and other tools.

Elizabeth Chalier-Visuvalingam

Lecturer

Bio

Instructor, Liberal Arts (2007). MA, Ethnology, 1975, University of Paris X; PhD, Indian Philosophy, 1983, Banaras Hindu University, India; Comparative Ethnology and Sociology with best mention, 1981, and D.Litt degree in Humanities with the best mention, 1995, University of Paris X. Publications: Les Nouveaus Cahiers; Serbo-Croate; Autrement; Islam and the Modern Age; Sarasvati 5; Criminal Gods and Demon Devotees. Awards: Lavoisier Fellowship, Harvard University, 1990-1992; Bourse de La Vocation, 1980.

Experience at SAIC

I have been teaching at SAIC since 2007. It is wonderful to artists as students.

Personal Statement

Elizabeth Chalier-Visuvalingam has doctorates in Indology, philosophy, and anthropology from Banaras Hindu University and the University Paris X, France. She has also been a Senior Visiting Fellow pursuing post-doctoral research at the Sanskrit Dept. of Harvard University. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in the Kathmandu Valley, Banaras, and other regions. Her French (postdoctoral) D.Litt. dissertation was published by Peter Lang in 2003. She has also published several articles, in both French and English, on the literature of minorities, particularly that of the Jewish communities in India, exploring such themes as the figure of the Other. She has taught at Boston University, Eötvös Loránd University at Budapest and is currently teaching French Language and Culture at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and Western philosophy and French literature at the French International School of Chicago.

Current Interests

French Literature, French Philosophy (Derrida, Foucault, Sartre...), European Philosophy and Indian Philosophy (Abhinavagupta)

Courses

Title Department Catalog Term

Description

An introductory course in reading, writing and conversational French.

Class Number

1672

Credits

3

Description

An introductory course in reading, writing and conversational French.

Class Number

1495

Credits

3

Description

An introductory course in reading, writing and conversational French.

Class Number

1673

Credits

3

Description

This course is part two of a two-semester sequence. Its goal is to provide students without any knowledge of the French language a solid foundation in the basic patterns of written and spoken French and an understanding of the particular sociocultural norms necessary for everyday communication in France. These are achieved in several ways: (1) a careful study of French grammar, with a communicative approach, (2) a study of the basics of French phonetics, and (3) a variety of materials such as readings, movies, commercials, etc.

French II is the sequel of French I. Prerequisite: French I or agreement of instructor.

Class Number

1493

Credits

3