Library & Blackboard VLE.

1. demonstrate a developed understanding of key issues and the ability to participate in debates in literary theories appropriate to postmodernism, postcolonialism and the contemporary.
2. analyse literatures of the 20th and 21st centuries for textual detail to an advanced level, drawing together literatures from different contexts where necessary and in a critical and theoretical contexts.
3. critically evaluate and apply different critical positions in relation to literature using both critical and theoretical reference material
4. Reflect on contributions to class learning and your own academic development.

Critical Commentary – a summary and analysis of 2 critical sources. One source must be drawn from a literary journal and the other from a monograph or edited collection. (LOs: 1, 3)

Learning journal: to consist of 5 reflective pieces, equally weighted:¿(LO4)¿

- two reflections upon two separate contributions to class learning on the module (one per semester) using authentic forms such as podcasts, presentations, vlogs, leading group sessions¿(these may be done in pairs or alone), blogs, poster presentations. Forms must vary within the journal and 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. ¿

- two reflections upon two separate elements of Academic Mentoring and Engagement (one per semester). These reflections should outline the student’s contact with their Academic Mentor, what insights they gathered and how they will take those on board, as well as showing deeper engagement with the life of the University and/or their subject: e.g. going on Uni trips/self-led trips to galleries/exhibitions, attending appointments in the Careers/Study Skills departments, engagement in SU clubs/societies, attending talks by visiting speakers, watching the Drama students’ performances, contributing to Uni Open Mic nights.¿

- fifth and final piece in the journal will be the student’s reflection upon their ‘verbal pitch’ to a tutor of their ideas for their final 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. Topic to be agreed with tutor. (LOs:1,2,3,)

This module is a survey of literatures from around the world approached from a number of critical and theoretical perspectives, with an emphasis on postcolonial and African- American 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:
Slave and neo-slave narratives – Douglass, Jacobs
Sherman Alexie (1993), The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven
Achebe, Chinua (1952) Things Fall Apart
Poynting, Jeremy; Ross, Jacob (2018) The Peepal Tree Book of Contemporary Caribbean Short Stories
Jean Rhys (1966)), Wide Sargasso Sea
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2003), Purple Hibiscus
Brett Easton Ellis (1991). American Psycho.
Poets of the Harlem Renaissance – McKay, Cullen, Hughes 1920s
Nella Larsen (1929), Passing
Olivia Butler, “Bloodchild”, (1993) Parable of the Sower.

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.
William Solomon (2018) The Cambridge Companion to American Literature of the¿1930s. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
George Hutchinson (2007). The Cambridge Companion to the HarlemRenaissance. 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.
Gerry Canavan (2015). The Cambridge Companion to American Science Fiction. 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.
Porter and Roemer (2005), The Cambridge Companion to Native American Literature Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

This module studies the literary treatment of global identities through the perspective of the legacy of European colonialism. Focussing on themes such as cultural identity, class, gender, race and immigration, you’ll read the vibrant works of some of the most significant writers on the international literary stage. The history of Empire in formerly colonised countries is¿fundamental to our study, but the main focus here is the role that literature and culture can play in resisting the shadows cast by that legacy, forging the construction of new identities in an increasingly globalised world.¿