Modern Languages & Literatures

Session I

Alette McNeill "Conviviality of Architecture: The Influence of Medieval Architecture on the Plasticity of the City Center of Montpellier, FR"

Placed in the south of France, Montpellier’s medieval skyline is defined by unique architecture with construction dating from the middle ages to as contemporary as a decade ago. However, in the tight roads and small apartments that prevent easy accessibility or air conditioning, the medieval center of Montpellier remains the most popular area of the city. This research questions how medieval architecture continues to support a contemporary society and contributes to form a unique urban identity.

Student Major(s)/Minor: French & Francophone Studies and History Major

Advisor: Dr. Magali Compan

Anna Miller "Pants, Policy, and Punishment: The Ordinance of 16 Brumaire and Cross-Dressing During the French Revolution"

In 1800, the Paris Prefecture of Police released an ordinance prohibiting women from cross-dressing. The timing and nature of this regulation raise a number of compelling questions: why, at the end of a decade marked by immense political and social upheaval, did the Parisian police decide to regulate cross-dressing? And what can the ordinance and its legal precedents tell us about cultural anxieties, gender, and the machinery of lawmaking during the Revolution?

Student Major(s)/Minor: French & Francophone Studies and History Major

Advisor: Dr. Giulia Pacini

Elizabeth Ray "Dying or Thriving: The Revitalization of Opera in Montepellier, France"

Amid economic pressures and declining attendance, performing arts institutions worldwide face growing criticism regarding their accessibility and cultural relevance. This project explores how historically insular disciplines such as opera can be expanded and updated by spotlighting the recent success of the Opéra Comédie in Montpellier, France. Montpellier's socioeconomic and cultural diversity, coupled with its considerable student population, contrasts opera's traditional demographic of older, wealthier patrons. Even so, the Opéra Comédie continues to anchor the city’s musical life through its orchestral and operatic offerings. This project examines how approaches such as diversifying concert programming, expanding community outreach, and offering flexible ticket packages modernize the operatic sphere by broadening its cultural and socioeconomic access. Through analysis of performance seasons, marketing methods, and economic data, this project assesses how opera's relationship to the Montpellier community is continually evolving. These findings ultimately seek to identify effective strategies applicable to other performing arts institutions navigating a changing artistic climate. 

Student Major(s)/Minor: French & Francophone Studies and Economics Major

Advisor: Dr. Magali Compan

Atopos Jia, "Chinese Republicans: The Rise of Global Populism in China"

This study examines the rise of grassroots populism in the contemporary People’s Republic of China (PRC), focusing on one particular form: authoritarian populism. The main research design of this paper comprises the following: firstly, an overview of the characteristics of authoritarian populism in China based on secondary literature, alongside an analysis of the historical and cultural-political causes contributing to its emergence; secondly, an exploration of trending online topics that clearly reflect authoritarian populist tendencies. The primary research method employed in this study is qualitative analysis of online discourse.

This study will examine the following questions: What has had a more profound influence on the emergence of authoritarian populism in the Chinese context: extremely limited economic opportunities, or a certain cultural syndrome? Given that China is not a country of immigration, why are hate speech and conspiracy theories targeting immigrants—particularly Indians, Muslims and Black people—so prevalent as manifestations of authoritarian populism?

This study finds that, internally, China’s unique economic and cultural transition from a socialist to a capitalist system, its Maoist tradition and authoritarian political system, combined with populist discourse disseminated externally via the internet, have collectively fostered and shaped a distinctive form of authoritarian populism—one that, on the one hand, calls for reform by the Chinese government, while on the other, assigns blame to a fictional ‘Western’ enemy.

Student Major(s): History and East Asian Studies Major

Advisor: Dr. Michael Hill

Session II

Dylan Ball, "The Relationship Between Cruise Tourism and Housing Values in Cádiz, Spain"

This project explores the relationship between cruise tourism and the real estate market in Cádiz, Spain. Cruise tourism, an important component of tourism in the Spanish economy, has increased in recent years. Using data from 2013 to 2025, Cádiz is compared with three regional cities to examine whether cruise passenger arrivals are associated with changes in commercial land use and commercial and residential property values. Regression models are used to analyze the relationship between cruise passenger arrivals and residential and commercial property values while controlling for population and unemployment. Commercial land use is examined descriptively with no meaningful conversions observed. Results do indicate a positive correlation between cruise passengers and housing values in Cádiz; this relationship is less statistically significant when comparison cities are included. These findings demonstrate that cruise tourism growth may increase pressure on property values in Cádiz, thus highlighting the relationship between tourism development and urban change.

Student Major(s)/Minor: Economics and Computational & Applied Mathematics & Statistics Major

Advisor: Dr. Álvaro Garrote Pascual