Warning! The directory is not yet complete and will be amended until the beginning of the term.

143247 VO Language and Literature in their Social Contexts (2020W)

4.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 14 - Orientalistik, Afrikanistik, Indologie und Tibetologie

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

Language: English

Examination dates

Thursday 28.01.2021 13:00 - 15:00 Digital

Lecturers

Adams Bodomo

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

Oct 8: Please note, there is only place for 10 students in seminar room 4. Only come if it is really necessary for you, the others can join online.

Examination date: 28.01.2021. Written exam. I will send you the exam questions at the beginning of the last class and you will send in your answers at the end of the last class to me by email.
Don't forget to register for the examination.

Lecture Schedule:
Oct 8: Course introduction
Oct 15: Languages, peoples and cultures
Oct 22: Nigeria: a sociolinguistic and socio-cultural profile
Oct 29: Senegal: a sociolinguistic and socio-cultural profile
Nov 5: Kenya: a sociolinguistic and socio-cultural profile
Nov 12: Things Fall Apart I
Nov 19: Things Fall Apart II
Nov 26: So Long a Letter I
Dec 3: So Long a Letter II
Dec 10: The River and the Source I
Dec 17: The River and the Source II
Jan 7: Recent moves in the sociology of literature
Jan 14: Summary/Student presentations
January 21: Summary/Student Presentations
January 28: Assessments

Thursday 08.10. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
Thursday 15.10. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
Thursday 22.10. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
Thursday 29.10. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
Thursday 05.11. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
Thursday 12.11. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
Thursday 19.11. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
Thursday 26.11. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
Thursday 03.12. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
Thursday 10.12. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
Thursday 17.12. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
Thursday 07.01. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
Thursday 14.01. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10
Thursday 21.01. 13:00 - 15:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 4 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-10

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

This course begins with an analysis of Africa's geographical, socio-political, and socio-cultural 'map' towards an understanding of its contemporary linguistic and literary heritage. It then builds on that with a close study, with particular reference to language use, of three main bodies of African literatures: the works of Chinua Achebe, particularly 'Things Fall Apart', the works of Mariama Ba, particularly 'Une Si Longue Lettre' (So Long a Letter) and the works of Margaret Ogola, particularly “The River and the Source”. Course participants will have the opportunity to analyse, discuss, debate, and theorize how a region's socio-political and socio-cultural contexts impinge on its linguistic and literary repertoires, and vice versa.

Class interaction will be in the form of lectures, tutorials, student presentations, computer-based electronic communications, and demonstrations of fundamental African issues through photos and film, and possibly fieldtrips to the African communities in Vienna.

The objectives of this course are:
o To provide a broad, interdisciplinary introduction to Africa, with particular reference to language and literature
o To provide a broad perspective on how pre-1960s sociopolitical issues shaped literary writings
o To provide learners with the tools to critically and intelligibly talk about how post-1960s literary writings espoused social problems and their solutions

No previous study on Africa is required.

Students who graduate from this course are prepared to pursue more advanced courses on African languages and literatures in their social contexts.

Assessment and permitted materials

Active participation during all class sessions will be the key. The course will be assessed as follows:
o Attendance and active participation in class and online discussions, debates, and exercises: 20%
o Mid-term quiz (or essay in case of COVID restrictions): 30%
o Final exam (or essay submission in case of COVID restrictions): 50%

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Examination topics

Assignments and tests may draw on materials covered in the lecture and assigned readings.

Reading list

1. Things Fall Apart and other works of Chinua Achebe
2. So Long a Letter and other works of Mariama Ba
3. The River and the Source and other works of Margaret Ogola
4. A selection of articles and papers on Nigerian, Senegalese and Kenyan language, society and culture (to be distributed at lectures)

Sociolinguistic profile of Nigeria:
http://www.africaworldpressbooks.com/servlet/Detail?no=194

Sociolinguistic profile of Senegal:
https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/9671/SLS1999v29.1-11Ngom.pdf?sequence=2

Sociolinguistic profile of Kenya:
http://www.lingref.com/cpp/acal/40/paper2577.pdf

Association in the course directory

SAS/A, SAS/B, EC-647, SAS.VO.1, SAS.VO.2

Last modified: Fr 12.05.2023 00:17