Universität Wien

140251 VO Language, Literacy and Literature: The language question in African literary expression (2013W)

Details

Language: English

Examination dates

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Thursday 10.10. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Thursday 17.10. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Thursday 24.10. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Thursday 31.10. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Thursday 07.11. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Thursday 14.11. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Thursday 21.11. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Thursday 28.11. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Thursday 05.12. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Thursday 12.12. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Thursday 09.01. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Thursday 16.01. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Thursday 23.01. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Thursday 30.01. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

In this course we raise one of the most fundamental questions facing African literature and, indeed, general African linguistic and literary expressive discourse, the issue of what the Ivorian writer, Amadou Kourouma, terms as 'diplosie'/'diplosia' the reality that the vast majority of African writers presumably think in one language and express themselves (speak, enchant, or write) in another. Throughout the course, we shall pose and address several questions to address this key problematic in debate form such as: are English, French and other foreign languages appropriate for African literature; can we still refer to a piece of work as African literature if it is not written in an African language, if it is not written at all and just only spoken or enchanted; what is the relationship between literacy and literature, and by extension, between oracy and orature, etc?

Assessment and permitted materials

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Examination topics

Lecture, guest appearances, debates.

Reading list

Texts/References/audio-visual materials:
i. Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization. 1991. Proceedings of the International Symposium on African Literatures. Lagos, Nigeria (ISBN: 978-30043-25)
ii. Debate exchanges between Chinua Achebe and Ngugi Wa Thiong’o
iii. BBC video interview with Ngugi Wa Thiong’o
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-radio-and-tv-23367692

Association in the course directory

SAL/B, EC-148, M8 (BA Vergl. Litwiss.), M3 (MA Vergl. Litwiss.), 7. M-07 - Transdisziplinäres Modul

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:34