123425 SE Literary & Cultural Studies Seminar / BA Paper / MA British/Irish/New English (2014S)
Decolonising the Mind
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
The colonisation of foreign territories would not have been possible if the colonial masters had only used armed force. Back in the 1980s, Ngugi Wa Thiong'o drew attention to the use of propagandist arguments in the subjugation of non-Western peoples. He pointed to the significance of Christianisation in the transformation of traditional communities into modern societies which fashioned themselves according to European standards, even after the colonial masters had officially handed over their power to native rulers. The literary works discussed in this seminar reflect their writers’ striving to go beyond an indictment of the colonisers as the source of all evil. Instead they explore the complicities between the colonisers and certain individuals who enrich(ed) themselves dramatically when they as a consequence of being granted privileges. A particular emphasis will be on the family relationships which characterise households struggling to come to terms with the consequences of independence. The seminar concentrates on literary works which demand that the formerly colonised nations take responsibility in order to move beyond the civil war and corruption which accompanied decolonisation.
Registration/Deregistration
Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
- Registration is open from Mo 10.02.2014 00:00 to Tu 25.02.2014 23:59
- Deregistration possible until Mo 31.03.2014 23:59
Details
max. 20 participants
Language: English
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
- Monday 10.03. 16:00 - 18:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 17.03. 16:00 - 18:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 24.03. 16:00 - 18:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 31.03. 16:00 - 18:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 07.04. 16:00 - 18:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 28.04. 16:00 - 18:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 05.05. 16:00 - 18:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 12.05. 16:00 - 18:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 19.05. 16:00 - 18:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 26.05. 16:00 - 18:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 02.06. 16:00 - 18:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 16.06. 16:00 - 18:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 23.06. 16:00 - 18:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 30.06. 16:00 - 18:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
The colonisation of foreign territories would not have been possible if the colonial masters had only used armed force. Back in the 1980s, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o drew attention to the use of propagandist arguments in the subjugation of non-Western peoples. He pointed to the significance of Christianisation in the transformation of traditional communities into modern societies which fashioned themselves according to European standards, even after the colonial masters had officially handed over their power to native rulers. The literary works discussed in this seminar reflect their writers’ striving to go beyond an indictment of the colonisers as the source of all evil. Instead they explore the complicities between the colonisers and certain individuals who enrich(ed) themselves dramatically when they as a consequence of being granted privileges. A particular emphasis will be on the family relationships which characterise households struggling to come to terms with the consequences of independence. The seminar concentrates on literary works which demand that the formerly colonised nations take responsibility in order to move beyond the civil war and corruption which accompanied decolonisation.
Assessment and permitted materials
- Participation in class
- Short presentations
- Outline of bachelor thesis / seminar paper
- Bachelor theis / seminar paper
- Short presentations
- Outline of bachelor thesis / seminar paper
- Bachelor theis / seminar paper
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
- To provide an overview of African literature.
- To contextualise the processes of decolonisation.
- To gain a complex understanding of the power relations in the family of the postcolony.
- To apply postcolonial criticism to the interpretation of African literature.
- To contextualise the processes of decolonisation.
- To gain a complex understanding of the power relations in the family of the postcolony.
- To apply postcolonial criticism to the interpretation of African literature.
Examination topics
- Short introductory contextualisations by the course leader
- Discussions in class
- Short student presentations
- Discussions in class
- Short student presentations
Reading list
Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, Dreams in a Time of War
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Purple Hibiscus
Abdulrazak Gurnah, By the Sea
Johnny Masilela, We Shall Not Weep
The novels are available for purchase with Facultas. Some additional material will be available on Moodle.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Purple Hibiscus
Abdulrazak Gurnah, By the Sea
Johnny Masilela, We Shall Not Weep
The novels are available for purchase with Facultas. Some additional material will be available on Moodle.
Association in the course directory
Studium: UF 344, BA 612, MA 844;
Code/Modul: UF 4.2.4-322, BA09.2, 10.2, MA4, MA6, MA7;
Lehrinhalt: 12-0373
Code/Modul: UF 4.2.4-322, BA09.2, 10.2, MA4, MA6, MA7;
Lehrinhalt: 12-0373
Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:33