Universität Wien

127011 KO Critical Readings in Literature (2022W)

Decolonising the Canon: Anglophone African Literatures

6.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 12 - Anglistik
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

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).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

Tuesday 11.10. 08:15 - 09:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
Tuesday 18.10. 08:15 - 09:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
Tuesday 25.10. 08:15 - 09:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
Tuesday 08.11. 08:15 - 09:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
Tuesday 15.11. 08:15 - 09:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
Tuesday 22.11. 08:15 - 09:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
Tuesday 29.11. 08:15 - 09:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
Tuesday 06.12. 08:15 - 09:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
Tuesday 13.12. 08:15 - 09:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
Tuesday 10.01. 08:15 - 09:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
Tuesday 17.01. 08:15 - 09:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
Tuesday 24.01. 08:15 - 09:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
Tuesday 31.01. 08:15 - 09:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

This course offers an introduction to African literature written in English from a decolonial and feminist perspective. We will critically engage with the concept of the ‘canon’ in the field of English literary studies and explore in-depth the significance of colonialism, decoloniality, Black Consciousness, and African feminism. We will take a look at anglophone African literatures spanning different geographical locations, different genres, time periods, and themes. We will have a special focus on African womxn writers as well as on contemporary works dealing with Afrofuturism and eco-literature, in particular climate fiction.

Course objective:
Students will get acquainted with African writers and thinkers and learn to critically engage with their work. Students will get familiarised with discourses on decoloniality and African feminism, gain an understanding of contemporary debates about race, gender, and power from an Afrocentric perspective. Students will train critical thinking, close reading, and creative writing, and develop their presentation and writing skills.

Teaching and learning method:
interactive (& New Media); The methodology of this course is based on critical pedagogy. Short input session by the course instructor, which will explain and contextualize relevant theories and contexts, are followed by in class dialogue and group discussions, in which students are expected to actively participate. Students will also engage in close readings and critical analysis of assigned texts. We will follow a code of conduct built on collaboration, respect, and compassion towards one another and actively practice the Southern African philosophy of ubuntu which broadly means, I am who I am because you are who you are, I am me through you and you are you through me. My aim is to create inspiring, engaging, and safe learning environments that are useable, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming and in which students will be constantly provoked to engage in critical thinking. I follow a Universal Design for Learning approach and strive to create inclusive and accessible classrooms and course materials. Please e-mail me if you are in need of any accommodations.

Assessment and permitted materials

Regular attendance and participation in discussions and group work (including online coursework) (30%)
Oral presentation/ acting as expert (20%)
Portfolio (consisting of critical analysis, critical review, blog post, creative writing task; 50%)

Each individual task must be positive in order to pass this course.

You may miss a maximum of two classes without a doctor's notice

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Students must fulfill and pass each of the 3 course requirements (portfolio, regular attendance and participation, oral presentation) and score at least 60 points altogether in order to pass this course.
Grading scale:
1: 100-90 points
2: 89-80 points
3: 79-70 points
4: 69-60 points
5: 59-0 points
The course requirements will be discussed in detail during the first session.

Examination topics

This is an interactive course with continuous assessment ("prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung").
In addition to handing in a written portfolio, students are expected to read all set texts and actively participate in class throughout the semester as well as hand in tasks and assignments on time. Each individual task must be positive in order to pass this course.

There will be no written exam.

Reading list

Preliminary reading list:
Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nervous Conditions (novel)
Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart (novel)
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of the Yellow Sun (novel)
Koleka Putuma, “Water” (selected poems from the poetry collection Collective Amnesia)
Idza Luhumyo, “Five Years Next Sunday” (short story)
Zoë Wicomb, selected short stories from You Can’t Get Lost in Cape Town (short story collection)
Yaël Farber, A Women in Waiting (play)

* All texts will be provided on Moodle; However, I recommend getting a copy of the novels; short stories, poems, and secondary theoretical texts will be provided as pdf files on Moodle.
** This reading list may be updated in the course of the semester.

Association in the course directory

Studium: BA 612; BEd 046/407
Code/Modul: BA08.3; BEd Modul 10
Lehrinhalt: 12-3000

Last modified: Sa 08.10.2022 09:08