This course, taught in English, examines popular culture across the Francophone world through the study of detective fiction, considering the subversive potential of the noir genre as well as its popular appeal. Attention will also be given to the representation of the French detective in television and film in Francophone and in Anglo-American culture. In this introductory course, students will develop their knowledge of research tools and critical approaches including semiotic, feminist and postcolonial theory.