1. Analyse American and Asian literatures of the 20th and 21st centuries for textual detail and in critical and theoretical contexts

Analysis

2. Demonstrate understanding of literary theories appropriate to postcolonialism, postmodernism and the contemporary

Knowledge and understanding

3. Reflect on contributions to class learning and your own academic development

Reflection

Learning journal: to consist of 2 reflective pieces, equally weighted:(LO3)

1. one reflection upon a contribution to class learning on the module using authentic forms such as podcasts, presentations, vlogs, leading group sessions (these may be done in pairs or alone), blogs, poster presentations. Reflection should show the detail of what the student intended to convey, how and why. Reflection should also show how the contribution was received and what the student would do differently next time.

2. the student’s reflection upon their ‘verbal pitch’ to a tutor of their ideas for their essay assignment. Reflection should detail the plans for the assignment, the tutor’s feedback, and how the student intends to action that.

Essay – a literary-critical essay on two semester 2 texts. Topic to be agreed with tutor. (LOs:1,2)

Exchange students will attend semester 2 of the 40 credit, 2 semester version of the module to achieve 20 semester 2 credits.

This module is a survey of literatures from around the world approached from a number of critical and theoretical perspectives, with an emphasis on counter-cultural, American and Asian writing. The module is aimed at the understanding of the legacy of the age of European colonisation and the ways in which this is both sustained by global capitalism and forms of neo-colonialism, while being simultaneously challenged by emerging narratives of resistance.

Texts may include:
Jack Kerouac (1957), On the Road.

Brett Easton Ellis (1991). American Psycho.

Don DeLillo (2007), Falling Man.

Arundhati Roy (1997), The God of Small Things.

No web descriptor, for Exchange students only

Teaching will be delivered by weekly workshops which will involve segments of lecture, discussion activities, student participation and analytical practice.

Bigsby, Christopher (ed.) (2006). The Cambridge Companion to Modern American Culture. Cambridge: CUP.
George Hutchinson (2007). The Cambridge Companion to the Harlem Renaissance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ashcroft et al (eds) (2006) The Post-Colonial Studies Reader. 2nd edition. London: Routledge.
Lazarus, N. (2004) The Cambridge companion to postcolonial literary studies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Loomba, A. (2015) Colonialism/postcolonialism. 3rd ed. London: Routledge.
Nasta, S. (2001) Home truths: fictions about the South Asian diaspora in Britain. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Quayson, A. (2016) The Cambridge companion to the postcolonial novel. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ramazani, J. (2017) The Cambridge companion to postcolonial poetry. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ramone, J. (2017) The Bloomsbury Introduction to Postcolonial Writing: New Contexts, New Narratives, New Debates. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Wisker, G. (2007) Key concepts in postcolonial literature. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Mitchell and Taylor (2009). The Cambridge companion to African American women's literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Steven Connor (2006). The Cambridge Companion to Postmodernism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
David Seed (2009). A Companion to Twentieth-century United States Fiction. Oxford: Backwell.

Steven Belletto (ed) (2007). The¿Cambridge Companion¿to the¿Beats.

Blackboard, Library

Semester 2 Exchange students only