Universität Wien

127012 KO Critical Readings in Literature (2019S)

Vietnamese American Literature: More than War

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

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. 30 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Thursday 07.03. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Thursday 14.03. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Thursday 21.03. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Thursday 28.03. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Thursday 04.04. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Thursday 11.04. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Thursday 02.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Thursday 09.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Thursday 16.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Thursday 23.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Thursday 06.06. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Thursday 13.06. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Thursday 27.06. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

In this course, we will survey the field of Vietnamese American literature, which has been steadily growing since the fall/liberation of Saigon in 1975 and the consequent flight of South Vietnamese citizens to the United States. We will study how the Vietnam War – or the American War, as it is often called in Vietnam – is remembered in literature and how its impact is negotiated by first- and second-generation Vietnamese Americans. By recognizing the refugee status of the authors or their parents, we will challenge the categorization of Vietnamese American literature as immigrant literature, and we will also situate it in relation to other traditions of minority writing in the United States. We will study a variety of genres, including life writing, poetry, short stories, and novels, some of which go beyond the context of the war by imagining the lives of historical figures or focusing on issues like gender and (alternative) forms of kinship. Our analyses will be sharpened by different theoretical approaches, most notably queer and postcolonial and theory.

Assessment and permitted materials

Regular attendance and participation in class discussions; oral presentation; midterm test; written assignments

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Midterm test: 20%
Group presentation: 20%
Essay: 40%
Active participation and short assignments: 20%

Each individual assignment must be completed to earn a passing grade.

Grading scale:
1: 100-91p
2: 90-81p
3: 80-71p
4: 70-60p
5: 59-0p

Examination topics

Reading list

Texts for purchase:
The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui
When Heaven and Earth Changed Places by Le Ly Hayslip
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen
The Book of Salt by Monique Truong

Additional readings will be provided on Moodle.

Association in the course directory

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

Last modified: We 09.09.2020 00:22