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US Credits 3/0/3 EN 4477 TRENDS in CONTEMPORARY BRITISH DEREE COLLEGE SYLLABUS FOR: Instruction hours/lab hours/ US credits 3/0/3 EN 4477 TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY BRITISH CULTURE – UK LEVEL 6 UK CREDITS: 15 (new course) PRE REQUISITES: WP 1010 Introduction to Academic Writing WP 1111 Integrated Academic Writing and Ethics WP 1212 Academic Writing and Research EN 3321 English Literature: From Romanticism to Modernism CATALOG Detailed study of representative trends in British culture which seek to DESCRIPTION: reconceptualize Britishness, nationhood and belonging in the last 50 years (post-1960s to the present). Emphasis on the trends evident in cultural representations of contemporary Britishness, in a variety of media, such as film and theatre, as well as popular culture and entertainment. RATIONALE: This course explores the ways British identity has changed in the wake of decolonialization, globalism, and terrorism. Students will investigate textual production (literary, cinematic, dramatic, digital, etc.) which poses a challenge to established artistic modes, so-called British values and national identities in the last fifty years. Within a context of major cultural and sociopolitical transitions which have produced a more ethnically diverse context as well as more racism and xenophobia, the course examines competing discourses around notions of national identity resulting in polyphony in representations of self and other. Traditional views of nation and Englishness are juxtaposed to attitudes which suggest a polyvalent and multicultural Britishness. LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to: 1.Analyze the characteristics of post-1960s British contemporaneity and trace the emergence of a post-war sensibility and its influence on contemporary literature, art and culture; 2. Explore the characteristics of contemporary texts and conduct research on aspects of the texts examined; 3. Discuss the contemporary reaction to traditional literary and cultural structures and concepts; 4. Identify and discuss experimentation in artistic forms through close textual reading of representative contemporary British texts (literary, filmic, dramatic, digital, etc.); 5. Relate and compare the contribution of individual artists and works to the development of themes and techniques typical of contemporary British culture. METHOD OF TEACHING AND In congruence with the teaching and learning strategy of the college, the LEARNING: following tools are used: 1. Lectures, class discussions, workshop-style pair work and group work during class meetings; 2. Formative exercises and online learning tasks through the Blackboard online tools designed to help students acquire confidence and benefit from independent study; 3. Additional print and audiovisual educational material posted on the Blackboard course template; 4. Timely instructor feedback on assignments; 5. Other relevant educational material placed on reserve in the library; 6. Individualized assistance during office hours for further discussion of lecture material, additional reading, assignments and examinations; 7. Close collaboration with the Library and SASS to encourage students’ effective use of academic support services; 8. Discussion of disciplinary research methods and tools to facilitate the completion of assigned research projects. ASSESSMENT: Summative: Two -part Examination Part I (1-hour; in-class): explication of two works; 30% Part II (1,000-1,500 words): take-home Essay; choice of topics offered Researc h Project (3,000-3,500 words) Analysis of author(s) and work(s) developed 70% through close reading and 6-8 critical sources; choice of topics Formative: Essay drafts, research activities, and all other in- 0 class and out-of-class assignments in preparation for the examination and the research project The formative coursework prepares students for successful completion of the summative coursework. The research project tests learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, and 4. The examination tests learning outcome 5. INDICATIVE READING: REQUIRED READING: Greenblatt, Stephen, ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature , Volume F. Norton, latest edition. RECOMMENDED READING: James Acheson and Romana Huk, ed. Contemporary British Poetry: Essays in Theory and Criticism . SUNY P, 1996. Nick Bentley. Contemporary British Fiction . Edinburgh UP, 2008. Steven Connor, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Postmodernism . 2004. James F. English, ed. A Concise Companion to Contemporary British Fiction . Blackwell, 2006. N. Holdsworth and M. Luckhurst, ed. A Concise Companion to Contemporary British and Irish Drama . Blackwell, 2006. V. K. Janik and Del Ivan Janik, ed. Modern British Women Writers: An A-to-Z Guide . Greenwood, 2002. A. Lee. Realism and Power: Postmodern British Fiction . Routledge,1990. David Ian Rabey. English Drama Since 1940 . Longman, 2003. INDICATIVE MATERIAL: REQUIRED MATERIAL: (e.g. audiovisual, digital material, etc.) Varies according to texts chosen. COMMUNICATION With the exception of the in-class examination, all written work must be REQUIREMENTS: word-processed on Word and adhere to MLA guidelines for manuscript format and documentation. SOFTWARE Word, Blackboard REQUIREMENTS: WWW RESOURCES: www.wwnorton.com/english/nael www.contemporarywriters.com http://vos.ucsb.edu/search-results.asp INDICATIVE CONTENT: Instructors select material on the basis of topics and themes relevant to contemporary British culture. Possible topics and themes: Decolonization and Multiculturalism The Rejection of Traditions and Experimentation Class Consciousness in 21 st century England Realism and Modernism Revisited in Postmodernity Femininity / Masculinity Redefined Historicizing fictions of Nationhood and Empire Neo-Victorianism and Hybridity Historical Fiction and Historiographic Metafiction Authenticity and Pastiche Canonicity and Cultural Imperialism Appropriation, Nostalgia and Confessional Storytelling In addition to the works studied during the semester, students will also study contextual material on the period and on the works selected. A. Contemporary Poetry (at least two works for each poet ) 1. Ted Hughes , “Relic,” “Pike,” “Daffodils”, “Theology” 2. Seamus Heaney , “Digging,” “The Forge”, “The Skunk” 3. Thom Gunn , “From the Wave,” “Still Life” 4. Tony Harrison , “Book Ends” and “Long Distance” 5. Carol Ann Duffy , “Medusa” and “Mrs Lazarus” B. Contemporary Drama (at least one play; discussion to include staging history ) 1. Harold Pinter , Betrayal or Celebration 2. Tom Stoppard , The Real Thing or Arcadia 3. Caryl Churchill , A Number or Top Girls 4. Jez Butterworth , Jerusalem 5. Nick Dear , Frankenstein 6. Joe Penhall , Landscape with a Weapon C. The Contemporary Novel (at least two of the following novels; one novel should be discussed in relation to its filmic adaptation ) 1. Kazuo Ishiguro , The Remains of the Day 2. Nadine Gordimer , July’s People 3. A. S. Byatt , Possession 4. Graham Swift , Last Orders , or Ever After 5. Pat Barker , Regeneration (volume I of the Regeneration trilogy) 6. Penelope Lively , Moon Tiger 7. Jeanette Winterson , The Passion 8. Salman Rushdie , Midnight’s Children 9. Ian McEwan , On Chesil Beach , or The Children Act , or Saturday 10. Julian Barnes , Flaubert’s Parrot or Arthur and George 11. Colm Toibin , Brooklyn 12. Martin Amis , Money or London Fields 13. Lloyd Jones , Mr Pip 14. Michel Faber , The Crimson Petal and the White 15. Sarah Waters , Tipping the Velvet ; or Affinity ; or Fingersmith 16. Peter Carey , Jack Maggs D. The Contemporary Short Story (at least three stories by three different authors ) 1. Doris Lessing , “To Room Nineteen” 2. Fay Weldon , “Weekend” 3. Salman Rushdie , "The Prophet's Hair" 4. Nadine Gordimer , “The Moment before the Gun Went Off” 5. John Fowles , “The Enigma” (from The Ebony Tower ) 6. Ian McEwan , “Solid Geometry” (from First Love, Last Rites ) 7. Julian Barnes , “Vigilance” (from The Lemon Table ) 8. Martin Amis , “Straight Fiction” (from Heavy Water ) 9. Graham Swift , “England” (from England and Other Stories ) .
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