Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CMS/EN 326"
COURSE NAME: "Postcolonial Literature and Cinema"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2020

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Donatella Della Ratta
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 4:30-5:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: EN 110 with a grade of C or above; Recommended: COM 210 and/or one previous course in Literature
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course will provide students with an introduction to postcolonial studies. The first part of the course will offer an overview of the most important topics constituting the field of postcolonial studies. These will subsequently be analysed through the theoretical debates that have grown around them. Furthermore, the course will look at how such issues have been expressed in literary and filmic texts. Topics include colonial discourse analysis; the issue of language; physical and mental colonisation and oppositional discourses; the concepts of 'nation' and nationalism in relation to culture and media; questions of gender in relation to empire and nation; diaspora, cosmopolitanism and identity; the problems of decolonization and the post-colonial state. Emphasis will be placed on colonial and postcolonial texts in the Anglophone and Francophone world.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

This course will provide students with an introduction to postcolonial studies. The first part of the course will offer an overview of the most important topics in postcolonial studies, then we will proceed by addressing each and every one of such issues by analysing the theoretical debates surrounding them and we will discuss how such issues are expressed in literary and filmic texts. Topics includecolonial discourse analysis; the issue of language; physical and mental colonisation and oppositional discourses; the concepts of 'nation' and nationalism; questions of gender in relation to empire and nation; diaspora, cosmopolitanism and identity; the problems of decolonization and the post-colonial state. Emphasis will be placed on colonial and postcolonial texts in the Anglophone and Francophone world.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of the course, students are expected to:

· Be able to describe key concepts in postcolonial studies

· Be able to critically discuss the main theoretical approaches in the field and how they relate to one another

· Apply theories of postcolonial studies to literary and filmic texts

· Develop an understanding of the role of gender in literary and filmic discourses on nation, nationalism and postcoloniality

Be able to critically discuss similarity and differences in the literary and filmic works of authors who discuss different experience of post/colonialism

TEXTBOOK:

NONE

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Video essay/Visual project	Detailed guidelines will be provided	15%
Midterm exam	Detailed guidelines will be provided	15%
Final research paper & oral presentation	Students are required to write a research paper related to the course material (20%). A thesis statement and research outline should be submitted before drafting the paper (5%).Students will present the paper during the week of the finals (10%). Detailed guidelines will be provided.	35%
Attendance and Participation.	See attendance requirements section. Participation includes doing the assigned readings and screenings, and actively contributing to class discussions. Each student (alone or in team with another, depending on total number of students) has to lead one group discussion during the semester based on readings and screenings.	10%
Extra screenings/attendance to special events	attendance to special events related to class topics	5%
Screening & reading notes	Critical analysis screening notes of the films & novels	20%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Please note that more than 4 absences will automatically result in lowering your participation grade by one letter grade for each absence.
Anything above 8 absences will result in failing the course.

If you have a serious health problem which causes you to miss more classes than allowed here, please contact the Dean's Office.

Lateness: If unexcused, students more than 10 minutes late are marked as absent. Late arrival (less than 10 minutes) is marked as such, and 3 late arrivals are counted as one absence.

Class procedure: Use of cell phones and laptops affects your participation grade and is strictly forbidden during class. Please make sure that your cell phone is turned off (and not just muted) when class starts. Kindly note that any infringement of such policy shall automatically result in a F grade in participation.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE

NB: This is a preliminary schedule.

· Some screenings and readings listed here might be subjected to change

· The use of laptop computers and other electronic devices during class is NOT permitted.

Week 1 – What is ‘postcolonial’?

Course Overview and introduction to postcolonial studies.

Reading:

‘Introduction’, Ashcroft, Bill Griffiths Gareth and Tiffin Helen, eds, The Postcolonial Studies Reader, London & New York: Routledge 1994.

Shohat, Ella ‘Notes on the postcolonial’,Social Text, No. 31/32, Third World and Post-Colonial Issues. (1992), pp. 99-113.

Watching:

excerpts from 'The Stuart Hall Project' (John Akomfrah, 2013), ‘The Revolution of Machines’ (Madkour Thabit, 1967); ‘Retour à Agadir’ (Mohammed Afifi, 1960)

Recommended:

Hall, Stuart. "When was 'The Post-Colonial'? Thinking at the Limit." The Postcolonial Question: Common Skies, Divided Horizons.Ed. Iain Chambers and Lidia Curti. London and New York: Routledge, 1996. 242-60.

Week 2 -- On the postcolony and its discontents.

Reading:
Konrad, Joseph (2014). Heart of darkness. Open Road Media.

Excerpts from Mbembe, Achille (2001). On the postcolony. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Watching:

'Apocalypse Now', Apocalypse Now Redux' (Francis Ford Coppola 1979, 2001)

Week 3 – Imperial Travels: The Fantasies and Nightmares of ‘Going Native’

Reading:

Bowles, Paul (1990). The sheltering sky (First Vintage international ed., Vintage international). New York: Vintage Books.

Watching:

'The Sheltering Sky' (Bernardo Bertolucci, 1990); 'The Sky Trembles and the Earth is Afraid and the Two Eyes Are Not Brothers' (Ben Rivers, 2015).

Weeek 4 – Memories of Colonial Battles and Reports from the Postcolonial Present

Reading:

Frantz Fanon, “Algeria Unveiled,” and “This is the Voice of Algeria,” in A Dying Colonialism.

Tr. Haakon Chevalier, New York: Grove Press, 1965.

Eid, H., & Ghazel, K. (2008). Footprints of fanon in gillo pontecorvo's "the battle of algiers" and sembene ousamne's xala. English in Africa, 35(2), 151-161.

Watching: ‘The Battle of Algiers’ (Gillo Pontecorvo, 1965); ‘Xala’ (Ousmane Sembène 2005)