Francophone Research Articles

Joseph Ford, Writing the Black Decade: Conflict and Criticism in Francophone Algerian Literature (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, After the Empire: The Francophone World and Postcolonial France, 2021) viii + 169 pp.

Joseph Ford, <i>Writing the Black Decade: Conflict and Criticism in Francophone Algerian Literature</i> <i> (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, After the Empire: The Francophone World and Postcolonial France, 2021) viii + 169 pp.</i>

Le « Dictionnaire de l’Académie française » numérisé, en accès libre et gratuit

Few people are familiar with the Dictionary of the French Academy. However, it provides the official French spelling. Each edition introduces words and graphic modifications. Since 2020, a digital portal provides access to 9 editions, to the conjugation tables of 6,200 verbs and to 900 "Dire, ne pas dire" notices from the French Academy. The rectified forms in 1990 were incorporated at various stages. Hypertext links lead to external resources such as the France Terme database, which offers officially recommended scientific and technical terms, and the Base de données lexicographiques panfrancophone (B.D.L.P.), which brings together lexical varieties from twenty Francophone countries. The Dictionary of the Academy and its supplements, with direct and free access, can be consulted on any digital medium (tablet, mobile phone, computer). www.dictionnaire-academie.fr

Creating a National Biodiversity Database in Gabon and the Challenges of Mobilizing Natural History Data for Francophone Countries

Language is a major barrier for researchers wanting to digitize and publish collection data in Africa. Despite being the fifth most spoken language on Earth and the second most common in Africa, resources in French about digitization, data management, and publishing are lacking. Furthermore, French-speaking regions of Africa (primarily Central/West Africa and Madagascar) host some of the highest biodiversity on the continent and therefore are of great importance to scientists and decision-makers. Without having representation in online portals like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio), these important collections are effectively invisible. Producing relevant/applicable resources about digitization in French will help shine a light on these valuable natural history records and allow the data-holders in Africa to retain the autonomy of their collections. Awarded a GBIF-BID (Biodiversity Information for Development) grant in 2021, an international, multilingual network of partners has undertaken the important task of digitizing and mobilizing Gabon’s vertebrate collections. There are an estimated 13,500 vertebrate specimens housed in five institutions in different parts of Gabon. To date, the group has mobilized &amp;gt;4,600 vertebrate records to our recently launched Gabon Biodiversity Portal (https://gabonbiota.org/). The portal also hosts French guides for using Symbiota-based portals to manage, georeference, and publish natural history databases. These resources can provide much-needed guidance for other Francophone countries⁠—in Africa and beyond⁠—working to maximize the accessibility and value of their biodiversity collections.

Fluctuations in mental well-being during Study Abroad

Abstract This mixed-methods study focuses on the effect of Study Abroad (SA) on the mental well-being of 33 Anglophone students who spent between four and twelve months in Francophone countries. It investigates the relationship between well-being and personality traits. Statistical analyses revealed no significant change in well-being between the start, the middle and the end of the SA. A closer look at individual patterns showed large fluctuations, with half of participants scoring higher and the other half scoring lower between the start and the middle of the SA. The narratives of three participants whose well-being scores increased most were not very different from the three participants whose well-being scores decreased most, and only (lower) Emotional Stability was linked with the increase in well-being. At the group level, well-being was not significantly linked to personality traits. The apparent stability of well-being during SA seems to be the result of upward and downward patterns cancelling each other out.

Home dialysis and Covid-19 in french speaking countries (RDPLF data-base)

Aims of the study: to assess the frequency of symptomatic Covid-19 in home dialysis patients and its influence on the number of patients treated at home in dialysis units of centers included in the French-speaking peritoneal and home hemodialysis Registry (RDPLF). Focus is placed on patients treated by peritoneal dialysis (PD) in mainland France.&#x0D; Results: in home hemodialysis (HHD)the incidence is 6% in Belgium and 4.8% in mainland France. On peritoneal dialysis it is 10.6% in Belgium, 6.7% in mainland France, 10.8% in Morocco and 11.5% in Tunisia. Lethality is less than 5% in HHD and between 8.4% and 42.7% in PD depending on age and associated comorbidities. In France, the percentage of patients who have had symptomatic Covid-19 is lower on home dialysis, all methods combined. Nevertheless, among the home methods, the higher frequencies and severities are observed in mainland France in home assisted PD: these are the oldest and most co-morbid patients. Transfers from PD to in center hemodialysis have increased during Covid-19 pandemic while the number of transplants has decreased.&#x0D; Conclusion: if the drop in the number of transplants can be explained by a reduced availability of operating theaters and surgical teams during a pandemic period, it is paradoxical that the prescription of home dialysis, which should be supposed to limit the risk of contagion, has decreased. More investigation should be performed to understand this paradox.&#x0D;

Supporting science-informed policymaking in Francophone countries

Supporting science-informed policymaking in Francophone countries

FRENCH AND UKRAINIAN CULTURAL SPACES IN IVAN BABYCH’S LANGUAGE PERSONALITY

The article is dedicated to the integrative essence of the language personality of a representative of the Ukrainian school of literary translation Ivan Babych. It is pointed out that I. Babych, as a person of European culture whose native land was France, was the disseminator of its fundamental values in Ukraine. At the same time, he promoted national culture, the Ukrainian word in French-speaking countries. Two cultural spaces have determined the specific function of intercultural mediation, in the context of which the linguistic personality of the master of literary translation should be considered.

The influence of colonial languages on language policies of francophone sub-Saharan Africa

Language as part of the colonial heritage has and will still stand as a challenge to the development of African languages and even bigger challenge facing language policies makers in African countries. As part of the former French colonial empire, Africa is now the most French speaking continent on the planet. In Sub-Saharan Africa in particular, although rich with numerous ethnic groups and thus languages, lots of its countries at the independence chose French as one of or the only official language of the country. This research endeavor sets out to analyze the language question in Africa, most particularly sub-Saharan African French speaking countries history and language situation, in a bid to understand the impact of French as official language on these countries’ language policy and planning, analyze efforts made by some of these countries in terms of policy and planning of national languages, and possibly offer some perspectives on language planning and policy in sub-Saharan African French speaking nations.

Musiklyrik i läroböcker i franska för den svenska skolan

The article investigates song lyrics included in twelve textbooks designed for the teaching of French as a foreign language in the Swedish school system. The underlying assumption is that selections made by textbook authors are important for the canonization of literature. The analysis of what is included and what is excluded in these textbooks is highly relevant in order to understand the norms prevailing in the system of education and, consequently, in society as a whole. The corpus consists of 61 song lyrics and the results indicate that these texts partly have a conservative role, insomuch as they transmit an already canonical French cultural heritage (traditional folksongs, children’s songs, and the works of a few consecrated artists in the chanson-tradition of the 1950’s and 1960’s) to the Swedish pupils. However, the other part of the corpus consists of more contemporary material from the decade preceding the publication of the textbooks. The corpus is male dominated (two thirds of the identified artists are men), and most of the songs (84%) deal explicitly or implicitly with Metropolitan France, with only a small percentage (16 %) representing the Francophone world outside of France. The main conclusion of the article is that the lyrics included in the textbooks consolidate rather than challenge the prevailing norms and hierarchies.

Promoting Health via mHealth Applications Using a French Version of the Mobile App Rating Scale: Adaptation and Validation Study.

BackgroundIn the recent decades, the number of apps promoting health behaviors and health-related strategies and interventions has increased alongside the number of smartphone users. Nevertheless, the validity process for measuring and reporting app quality remains unsatisfactory for health professionals and end users and represents a public health concern. The Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) is a tool validated and widely used in the scientific literature to evaluate and compare mHealth app functionalities. However, MARS is not adapted to the French culture nor to the language.ObjectiveThis study aims to translate, adapt, and validate the equivalent French version of MARS (ie, MARS-F).MethodsThe original MARS was first translated to French by two independent bilingual scientists, and their common version was blind back-translated twice by two native English speakers, culminating in a final well-established MARS-F. Its comprehensibility was then evaluated by 6 individuals (3 researchers and 3 nonacademics), and the final MARS-F version was created. Two bilingual raters independently completed the evaluation of 63 apps using MARS and MARS-F. Interrater reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients. In addition, internal consistency and validity of both scales were assessed. Mokken scale analysis was used to investigate the scalability of both MARS and MARS-F.ResultsMARS-F had a good alignment with the original MARS, with properties comparable between the two scales. The correlation coefficients (r) between the corresponding dimensions of MARS and MARS-F ranged from 0.97 to 0.99. The internal consistencies of the MARS-F dimensions engagement (ω=0.79), functionality (ω=0.79), esthetics (ω=0.78), and information quality (ω=0.61) were acceptable and that for the overall MARS score (ω=0.86) was good. Mokken scale analysis revealed a strong scalability for MARS (Loevinger H=0.37) and a good scalability for MARS-F (H=0.35).ConclusionsMARS-F is a valid tool, and it would serve as a crucial aid for researchers, health care professionals, public health authorities, and interested third parties, to assess the quality of mHealth apps in French-speaking countries.

Sociodemographic Inequalities in Health Insurance Ownership among Women in Selected Francophone Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In sub-Saharan Africa, improving equitable access to healthcare remains a major challenge for public health systems. Health policymakers encourage the adoption of health insurance schemes to promote universal healthcare. Nonetheless, progress towards this goal remains suboptimal due to inequalities health insurance ownership especially among women. In this study, we aimed to explore the sociodemographic factors contributing to health insurance ownership among women in selected francophone countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods. This study is based on cross-sectional data obtained from Demographic and Health Surveys on five countries including Benin (n = 13,407), Madagascar (n = 12,448), Mali (n = 10,326), Niger (n = 12,558), and Togo (n = 6,979). The explanatory factors included participant age, marital status, type of residency, education, household wealth quantile, employment stats, and access to electronic media. Associations between health insurance ownership and the explanatory factors were analyzed using multivariate regression analysis, and effect sizes were reported in terms in average marginal effects (AMEs). Results. The highest percentage of insurance ownership was observed for Togo (3.31%), followed by Madagascar (2.23%) and Mali (2.2%). After stratifying by place of residency, the percentages were found to be significantly lower in the rural areas for all countries, with the most noticeable difference observed for Niger (7.73% in urban vs. 0.54% in rural women). Higher levels of education and wealth quantile were positively associated with insurance ownership in all five countries. In the pooled sample, women in the higher education category had higher likelihood of having an insurance: Benin (AME = 1.18; 95% CI = 1.10, 1.27), Madagascar (AME = 1.10; 95% CI = 1.05, 1.15), Mali (AME = 1.14; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.24), Niger (AME = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.07, 1.21), and Togo (AME = 1.17; 95% CI = 1.09, 1.26). Regarding wealth status, women from the households in the highest wealth quantile had 4% higher likelihood of having insurance in Benin and Mali and 6% higher likelihood in Madagascar and Togo. Conclusions. Percentage of women who reported having health insurance was noticeably low in all five countries. As indicated by the multivariate analyses, the actual situation is likely to be even worse due to significant socioeconomic inequalities in the distribution of women having an insurance plan. Increasing women's access to healthcare is an urgent priority for population health promotion in these countries, and therefore, addressing the entrenched sociodemographic disparities should be given urgent policy attention in an effort to strengthen universal healthcare-related goals.

Integrated reporting and cost of capital in sub-Saharan African countries

PurposeGiven the significant role of both integrated reporting and cost of capital in the survival and prosperity of a firm, it is essential to understand their relationship by investigating whether integrated reporting influences the cost of capital of a firm. This research paper aims to examine the impact of integrated reporting practice on the cost of capital of listed firms in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).Design/methodology/approachThe study covered a period of 10 years from 2009 to 2018. One hundred and forty-seven listed firms in 10 SSA countries were used for the study. The study employed panel data analysis and utilised a dynamic estimation technique called the generalised method of moments.FindingsThe evidence shows that integrated reporting has a negative relationship with cost of capital, indicating integrated reporting can reduce firms' cost of capital. The results further showed that social, governance and environmental disclosures all have negative relationships with cost of capital, suggesting that firms that make these disclosures would have a lower cost of capital. These results are consistent with signalling theory, which holds that firms send a positive signal to the market about their performance and prospects when they provide information relating to value creation, predominantly environmental, social and governance issues.Research limitations/implicationsThe major limitation of the study is the selection of only English-speaking countries. French-speaking countries may have a different reporting practice, hence a different effect on the cost of capital.Practical implicationsThis study contributes to policy development on integrated reporting in SSA and informs key stakeholders involved in promoting and supporting the adoption of integrated reporting in Africa.Originality/valueThe findings from this paper consolidate existing research in integrated reporting and cost of capital by providing empirical evidence on the relationship between integrated reporting, its components and the cost of capital from emerging economies. This study contributes to the understanding of investors' reactions to integrated reporting. Further, it fills a gap in the non-availability of literature on the relative impact of the various components of integrated reporting.

View of Thorax Palpation and Apex Beat Analysis in the Field Medical Practice

Despite the extraordinary performances of contemporary methods of investigation (echocardiography, scanner, magnetic resonance imaging, etc.), clinical examination retains all its importance in Cardiology, particularly in extra-hospital settings. The authors have experience of cardiological diagnosis in France and in French-speaking African countries [1-4]: Benin, Mali, Niger, Senegal and for one (CA) in Vietnam (Hanoi and Danang). They have also taught and supervised medical students, either as permanent residents (Mali, Niger), or during official educational missions.

Class action, une adaptation variée en français, en polonais et en tchèque : reflets linguistiques

The objective of this article is to study the linguistic adaptation that accompanies the introduction and modification of a type of lawsuit originating in another legal system: the case of class action. In the context of the study of the comparative neology of French, Polish and Czech, considered in particular from the angle of borrowing and its equivalents, it is interesting to explore the adoption and linguistic adaptation of a legal concept. The one selected for this study is the American class action, which has already been the subject of a linguistic analysis focusing on French in France and French-speaking countries, and in Spain and Italy. The present study therefore extends the research carried out so far to the cases of Czech and Polish while updating the data on French.

Relational governance, equity and social spill-over of agricultural value chains: Cotton case in Cameroon and beyond

It is often claimed that cotton production is of significant economic and social importance in the French-speaking African countries (FSACs) but indicators of socio-economic impact are often not precisely measured, not based on updated data, and equity concerns are usually not addressed. Studies of the cotton value chains in Africa seldom account for the impacts of governance on value creation and income distribution. This paper showcases the relationship between governance and equity within the cotton sector in Cameroon in the 2017–18 season, through the concept of relational governance. It was found that the studied cotton chain was well-suited to the notion of relational governance. The interlinking between the key stakeholders (cotton company, cotton producers and their representative bodies, the State) was materialized by a combination of several types of coordination in which contracts prevailed, state intervention was kept minimal and market coordination restrained to the domain of interaction with the world market. Producer organizations were contractually compensated for performing many tasks that were traditionally completed by the cotton company Overall, the governance rules were favourable to the incomes of farmers, regardless of farm size and resources. The governance of the cotton sector in Cameroon, while not optimal in terms of equity, did lead to remarkable social impacts in villages through support to children’s education and the provision of cash credit to the most needy. The study findings could be valid for other FSACs because of similar governance measures and little local valuation of cotton fibre. This paper points out the policy implication that a relational governance model should be promoted in most agricultural value chains in Africa. In the specific case of the cotton value chains in Cameroon and FSACs, the involvement of donors in the enhancement of relational governance should result in improved social impacts from cotton production.

Call for Proposals

The Society for French Historical Studies (SFHS) seeks a new editorial team for its journal, French Historical Studies, published quarterly by Duke University Press, beginning in August 2022. As a leading journal on the history of France and the Francophone world, French Historical Studies publishes articles, forums, review essays, and special issues in either English or French covering all periods of history.The editors will lead the editorial team; manage and administer the day-to-day operations of the journal; nominate and manage the editorial board of fifteen to sixteen members (which exercises general oversight); work closely with the managing editor, who supervises the journal's day-to-day operations; and present an editorial report annually at the Business Meeting of the SFHS. Editors serve a three-year term with the possibility of renewal for a second term. Prospective editors should hold tenured positions at a college or university anywhere in the world. The SFHS will give preference to a team of two faculty members, one with expertise in the period before 1800 and the other with expertise in the period after 1800.Proposals for the French Historical Studies editorial team should include a full curriculum vitae for each team member and a brief biographical sketch that highlights relevant skills as well as editorial and administrative experience, along with why they want to become an editor of the journal. In addition, relevant academic administrators should provide written statements specifying the support delineated below should the team's submission be accepted.Submissions should delineate effective organizational plans and financial/institutional support that include logistical information and clear lines of administrative responsibility and coordination, showing how the proposed team plans to divide up the managerial demands of editorial work. Submissions should include a proposed budget that specifies how the SFHS's subsidy of US $15,000 per annum will be allocated and that specifies the contributions of the editors' home institution(s) (which may include things like faculty release time, graduate or undergraduate student assistance, office staff personnel support, editorial team office space, or other contributions). Applicants may include a vision statement, assess the journal's current strengths and weaknesses, and propose changes.The search committee is chaired by Jeff Horn, Manhattan College (jeff.horn@manhattan.edu) and includes Roxanne Panchasi, Simon Fraser University (panchasi@sfu.ca), and Jean Pedersen, University of Rochester (jpedersen@esm.rochester.edu).Potential candidates are encouraged to consult with members of the search committee and with Carol Harrison (ceharris@gwm.sc.edu) and Kay Edwards (kathrynedwards@sc.edu) of the University of South Carolina, the current editors, about the journal. The current managing editor, Laura Foxworth (laura.j.foxworth@gmail.com), is willing to continue in her role and open to discussing it with potential new editors. On the SFHS more generally, contact Tip Ragan, Colorado College (bragan@coloradocollege.edu). Additional materials are available on the SFHS website (www.societyforfrenchhistoricalstudies.net). Potential applicants should contact Jeff Horn for the password.Please send all editorial team proposals via email to Jeff Horn (jeff.horn@manhattan.edu).Deadline for submissions: Please submit editorial team proposals by October 15, 2021. Interviews will be held before December 1, 2021, with the goal of having a new editorial team to shadow the current editors by January 1, 2022, to assume control on August 1, 2022.

Validation of the French Version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale and Its Associations with Depression, Anxiety, and Differential Emotions.

The COVID-19 crisis represents a global health concern, including mental health. Regarding the necessity to assess anxiety related to COVID-19, a scale was developed (Ahorsu et al., 2020). The goal of the present study was to validate the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in French (official language in 29 countries), and investigate its relationship with indicators of affective disturbances. The sample comprised 316 participants (271 females) recruited online during the French lockdown. They were from several regions of France. The FCV-19S underwent a forward-backward translation procedure. Its psychometric properties were evaluated with the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The French FCV-19S demonstrated a stable unidimensional structure with robust psychometric properties (strong internal consistency, good convergent and divergent validity, and good test-retest validity). With its robust psychometric properties in assessing the unidimensional construct of the fear of COVID-19, this scale will help to provide a better understanding of the relationship between emotions and psychological or psychiatric disorders during the pandemics in French-speaking countries.

Настоящее и будущее франкофонии, или Битва за французский

The article analyzes the place and role of the French language in the linguistic picture of the world, provides figures that characterize its position. The article shows the history of the creation and modern activities of the International Organization of Francophone Countries, as well as the history of the emergence of the term “Francophonie”, the angles of its use are noted. It contains data on the use of the French language on the African continent, and makes reasonable guesses about where it will occupy in Africa in the future. The article deals with the activities of the French state and international public institutions to popularize the French language in the world. It draws attention to initiatives to promote French. Information about the study of the French language in various countries is presented, the special role of teachers in its study is emphasized, the difficulties of competing with the English language are highlighted. Thanks to given mathematical calculations one can already assume an important role and significant place of French among other world languages in the middle of the XXI century.

Why did Rwanda join British Commonwealth?

This article aims to examine Rwanda's foreign policy decision to join the British Commonwealth. Rwanda was former French colony and has historic association with Francophone countries. But the country decided to join the British Commonwealth in 2009. Using theory of foreign policy decision making, it argues that the shift of Rwanda’s foreign policy was caused by the political transition in Rwanda’s domestic politics, its economy condition in the post-genocide epoch as well as the international context which included Rwanda’s geographic position and the role of the United Kingdom in aiding Rwanda’s state-building in the aftermath of the genocide. This research uses qualitative method and uses secondary data such as, books, articles, journals, e-news, reports and other library sources.

Stefano Bordoni. When Historiography Met Epistemology: Sophisticated Histories and Philosophies of Science in French-Speaking Countries in the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century. Leiden: Brill, 2017. Pp. xii+335. $172.00 (cloth and e-book). ISBN 978-90-04-31522-8.

Stefano Bordoni. <i>When Historiography Met Epistemology: Sophisticated Histories and Philosophies of Science in French-Speaking Countries in the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century</i>. Leiden: Brill, 2017. Pp. xii+335. $172.00 (cloth and e-book). ISBN 978-90-04-31522-8.