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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "CMS/EN 326"
COURSE NAME: "Postcolonial Literature and Cinema"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Fall 2016
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
Clelia Clini
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
TTH 1:30PM 2:45PM
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:
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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.
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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 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.
NB: Considering that the course focuses both on literature and cinema it is MANDATORY for students to read all the assigned readings before each session.
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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
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TEXTBOOK:
Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments | Format | Local Bookstore | Online Purchase |
Wide Sargasso Sea | Rhys, Jean | Penguin | 9780140274219 | | | | | |
Postcolonial Cinema Studies | Ponzesi, Sandra, Waller, Marguerite | Taylor & Francis | 9780203181478 | | Selected chapters from this textbook will be assigned.
Please note that it is available in the library as an ebook.
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The Postcolonial Studies Reader | AShcroft, Bill; Griffiths, Gareth; Tiffin, Helen | Routledge | 9780415345644 | | Selected chapters from this textbook will be assigned. | | | |
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments |
The Empire Writes Back | Ashcroft, Bill; Griffiths, Gareth; Tiffin, Helen | Routledge | 9780415280198 | | |
Things Fall Apart | Achebe, Chinua | Anchor Books | 9780385474542 | | |
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments |
Midnight's children | Rushdie, Salman | Vintage | 9780099578512 | | |
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
participation | | 10% |
attendance | | 5% |
Midterm Exam | | 25% |
In-class quizzes | | 20% |
Final Exam | | 25% |
Final Paper | | 15% |
-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 AND EXAMINATION POLICY
Please note that frequent absences automatically lower your participation grade. You are allowed three unexcused absences.
More than three unexcused absences (those not justified by a medical certificate or a note from the administration) will result in your final grade for the course to be dropped by one letter grade.
Anything above five unexcused absences will result in failure. Lateness: 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.
Leaving the class for more than 10 minutes will be counted as one absence.
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity.
Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused.
Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed.
The final exam period runs until ____________
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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.
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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.
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SCHEDULE
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PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE:
NB: This is a preliminary schedule: some topics might be changed
• The use of laptop computers and other electronic devices during class is NOT permitted.
Week 1 Course Overview and introduction.
Week 2 Foundations.
Week 3 Colonial Discourse Analysis and Language
Quiz
Week 4 Using The Master’s Tools
Week 5 Physical And Mental Colonisation and Opposition
Quiz
Week 6
Colonialism and Resistance
Screening: TBD
Week 7 Review and Midterm Exam
Week 8 Nation and Nationalism
Screening: La Battaglia d’Algeri, 1966
Week 9 Gender and the Nation in Francophone Postcolonial Studies
Week 10 Gender and Nation II - The Anglophone World
Quiz
Week 11 Diaspora, Cosmopolitanism and Identity
Week 12 Race and the Postcolonial Nation
Screening: My Son the Fanatic (Prasad Udayan, 1997)
Quiz
Week 13 Race and the Postcolonial Nation II
Screening: TBD
Week 14 Decolonization and The Postcolonial State.
Review
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