World Literatures in English

On completion of the course students will be able to:

• demonstrate a familiarity with contemporary literary and cultural theory and concepts related to questions of identity, and agency, liminality and hybridity by situating these theories in the larger cultural, social, and ideological context of Colonialism, Postcolonialism and Transculturality.
• show a critical understanding of a selection of works within the genre of World Literatures in English in the light of these theories and concepts in the form of independent analyses and interpretations
• communicate and argue for, orally and in writing, their own interpretations and critical judgements of the literary, as well as the critical and theoretical, texts in an appropriate and convincing academic English
• critically reflect upon and give constructive criticism to the work of their peers and to participate in critical debates within the scope of the course.

The course deals with World Literatures in English from the 1960´s to the present. It comprises the critical study of a selection of representative literary works from countries and geographical entities that have been profoundly influenced by the complex processes of Colonialism and Post-Colonialism, such as Australia, India, the Caribbean, New Zeeland, Canada etc. These texts are analysed in the light of contemporary literary and cultural theories, particularly those that specifically elucidate experiences relating to hybridity, liminality, transculturality and paradigms of personal, political and cultural identities. In the course, the Colonial experience as a social, historical and global phenomenon serves as a central concept and starting point from which to explore the literature produced in such regions and how it engages with notions such as violence, freedom, collective and individual trauma, nostalgia, and definitions of national identities. The students familiarize themselves with some of the ways in which such literature has interrogated the complexity of the colonial experience and reflects contemporary questions relating to the weakening of national boundaries in an increasingly globalised age. They also become aware of ways in which such literary texts have been debated in scholarly criticism over the last few decades.

The course is examined through continuous assessment of seminar activities, oral and written work, and a final paper. The student‘s ability to hand in and complete assignments on time is taken into consideration in the assessment.

The course consists of small-group teaching in seminars, pre-seminar assignments, and written responses to literary as well as critical and theoretical texts. All teaching is conducted in English.

The Swedish grades U–VG.

The course was part of the Main field of English until 2015-08-01.

Revised
14-04-03 (Main field added)
15-08-01 (Main field removed)
23-12-08 (Main field added)