123427 SE Literary & Cultural Studies Seminar / BA Paper / MA American/North American Lit./Studies (2018W)
The Conquest of Outer Space in Postwar American Literature and Film
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
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 Sa 08.09.2018 00:00 to Tu 18.09.2018 23:59
- Deregistration possible until We 31.10.2018 23:59
Details
max. 18 participants
Language: English
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
course starts c.t. (14:15) and ends at 3:45
- Monday 08.10. 14:00 - 16:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 15.10. 14:00 - 16:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 22.10. 14:00 - 16:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 29.10. 14:00 - 16:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 05.11. 14:00 - 16:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 12.11. 14:00 - 16:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 19.11. 14:00 - 16:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 26.11. 14:00 - 16:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 03.12. 14:00 - 16:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 10.12. 14:00 - 16:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 07.01. 14:00 - 16:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 14.01. 14:00 - 16:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 21.01. 14:00 - 16:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
- Monday 28.01. 14:00 - 16:00 Besprechungsraum Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O2-07
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
In this seminar, we will explore how American literature and culture has imagined the conquest and colonization of outer space. We will begin by looking at foundational texts in American Studies such as John Winthrop's sermon of the City upon a Hill (1607) and FJ Turner's "The Significance of the Frontier" (1893) to uncover the roots of this cultural imaginary and then turn to literature and film/television to explore the continuation of this discourse during the Cold War (Walt Disney's Tomorrowland films, Wernher von Braun's Project Mars, Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy) up to today, as the settlement of Mars is increasingly enacted as another exodus from ecocide and apocalypse (Interstellar; MARS, e.g.). Our discussions will focus especially on gender-, race-, and eco-critical aspects.
Assessment and permitted materials
written assignments, oral presentation, seminar paper
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
active participation & shorter assignments (25%)
short presentation (25%)
seminar paper (50%)
Overall 60% pass rate
short presentation (25%)
seminar paper (50%)
Overall 60% pass rate
Examination topics
all mandatory reading and film/TV series
Reading list
Wernher von Braun, Project Mars (Moodle)
Tom Wolfe, The Right Stuff
Ray Bradbury, The Martian Chronicles
Kim Stanley Robinson, Red Mars
Tom Wolfe, The Right Stuff
Ray Bradbury, The Martian Chronicles
Kim Stanley Robinson, Red Mars
Association in the course directory
Studium: UF 344, BA 612, MA 844;
Code/Modul: UF 4.2.4-322, BA09.2, 10.2, MA5, MA6, MA7;
Lehrinhalt: 12-0406
Code/Modul: UF 4.2.4-322, BA09.2, 10.2, MA5, MA6, MA7;
Lehrinhalt: 12-0406
Last modified: Th 09.01.2025 00:16