This module will explore the emerging area of ecocritical literary studies. Some of the key ideas of this module will be: the difference between 'environment' and 'ecosystem', land and identity, Cartesian dualism (and thinking beyond it), and the connection between ecology, culture and literature. We will assess the different ways these concepts emerge in a study of texts from both 'popular' and 'literary' contemporary authors. In doing so, we will need to navigate through several contingent themes such as scientific/technological developments, colonisation, gender and some events in recent political history (i.e. the Holocaust). The main aim of this module will be to develop literary critical approaches which take into account one of the most pressing issues of our time: the state of the Earth's ecosystem.

Examples of texts (which may vary)
A selection of poetry
The Road – Cormac McCarthy (2006)
White Noise – Don DeLillo (1984)
Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood (2003)
Life and Times of Michael K - J.M. Coetzee (1983)
Fugitive Pieces - Anne Michaels (1997)

Contact teaching will be in workshop format. Students will be expected to work both independently (preparation for both classes and assessments) and as part of a team (on some class exercises and presentation work).

Key Information Set:
16% scheduled learning and teaching activities
84% guided independent learning

PC projector
Video/DVD
Library
Internet

The Blackboard virtual learning environment will be available (where relevant) to support this module. Details will be supplied in the module handbook.

Selected secondary material
Bate, J. (2000) The Song of the Earth London: Picador.

Coupe, L. (ed.) (2000) The Green Studies Reader: From Romanticism to Ecocriticism London: Routledge.

Garrard, G. (2004) Ecocriticism London: Routledge.

Wheeler, W. (1999) A New Modernity? Change in Science, Literature and Politics. London: Lawrence and Wishart.

1. DEMONSTRATE DETAILED AND COHERENT KNOWLEDGE OF SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES, CONCEPTS AND DEBATES IN THE FIELD OF ECOCRITICISM, WHILE SHOWING AWARENESS OF DIFFERING CULTURAL POSITIONS IN RELATION TO DEBATES.
[Knowledge and Understanding]

2. DEMONSTRATE SKILLS OF ENQUIRY AND ANALYSIS THROUGH CLOSE READING AND RESEARCH IN RELATION TO TWO PRIMARY TEXTS FROM THE MODULE.
[Analysis]

3. APPLY THEORETICAL MATERIAL TO TEXTS.
[Learning]

4. ARTICULATE ECOCRITICAL CONCEPTS IN WRITING WITH CLARITY AND ORGANISATION OF POINTS. [Communication]

Mid-semester comparative essay (Essay of 1,000 words, 20%) Learning Outcomes: 1,2,4.
Mid-year essay (1,500 words, 20%) Learning outcomes: 1,3,4.
End of Year essay on two primary texts (3,000 words, 60%) [Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4]