Course Syllabus

Imagining the Other in European Literature 

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Semester & Location:

Spring 2020 - DIS Stockholm

Type & Credits:

Literature Core Course - 3 credits

Core Course Study Tours:

Uppsala and London 

Major Discipline:

Literature

Faculty Member:

Jan Holmgaard

Program Director:

Andreas Brøgger - abr@dis.dk 

Academic Coordinator:

Mark Peters - mpe@disstockholm.se

Time & Place:

Mondays & Thursdays, 8:30-9:50 | 1E-509

Description of Course

The course examines how Otherness has been imagined and depicted in Nordic and European literature. Through questioning the underlying assumptions in European literature, we explore the processes of constructing and representing the Other in terms of gender, culture, ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation, religion, and nationality.

The course is divided into five different parts: 1) The World is a Stage: Othering in Shakespeare; 2) The Monstrosity of the Other; 3) Colonialism and Imperialism; 4) Female Identity and Exotism; 5) Gender Trouble; and 6) Social Tension and Multiculturalism in Urban Space. The course also includes a short Study Tour to Uppsala and surrounding areas, and a long Study Tour to London.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course you will have developed skills enabling you to: 1) analyze the underlying ideological and cultural assumptions in works of literature; 2) understand the historical and political contexts of literature; 3) identify siginificant narrative and figurative literary strategies; 3) navigate though challenging theoretical texts; 4) improve your own writing and textual analysis; and 5) develop your own critical voice.

Faculty

Jan Holmgaard, Phd in Comparative Literature, Stockholm University. Associate Professor at the Department of Culture and Aesthetics, Stockholm University. Formerly visiting researcher at Oxford University and The Søren Kierkegaard Research Center, Copenhagen University. Teaches literature and philosophy at DIS Stockholm. With DIS since 2017.

Readings

Novels, Plays, Short Stories

Blixen, Karen, ”The Roads Round Pisa” (Canvas)

Brontë, Charlotte, Jane Eyre (Textbook)

Conrad, Joseph, Heart of Darkness (Textbook)

Dickens, Charles, Oliver Twist (Textbook)

Duras, Marguerite, The Lover (Textbook)

Flaubert, Flaubert in Egypt (Canvas)

Flaubert, Salammbo (Canvas)

Kureishi, Hanif, The Buddha of Suburbia (Textbook)

Okri, Ben, ”Grenfell Tower” (Canvas)

Rhys, Jean, Wide Sargasso Sea (Textbook)

Shakespeare, Othello (Textbook)

Shakespeare, William, The Merchant of Venice (Textbook)

Shelley, Mary, Frankenstein (Textbook)

Smith, Zadie, NW (Textbook)

Strindberg, August, Miss Julie (Textbook)

Theoretical Texts

Achebe, Chenua, ”An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad´s Heart of Darkness” (Canvas)

Butler, Judith, ”Subversive Bodily Acts” (Canvas)

Butler, Judith, ”Critically Queer” (Canvas)

Butterworth, Robert, ”Oliver Twist and Fagin´s Jewishness” (Canvas)

Gilbert and Guber, ”A Dialogue of Self and Soul: Plain Jane´s Progress” (Canvas)

Miller, Hillis J., ”Should We Read Heart of Darkness?” (Canvas)

Nyoni, Mika, ”The Culture of Othering: An Interrogation of Shakespeare´s Handling of Race and Ethnicity in The Merchant of Venice and Othello” (Canvas)

Ruddy, Karen, ”The Ambivalence of Colonial Desire in Marguerite Duras The Lover” (Canvas)

Said, Edward, ”Introduction” from Orientalism (Canvas)

Said, Edward, ”Introduction” from Culture and Imperialism (Canvas)

Said, Edward, ”Two Visions in Heart of Darkness” (Canvas)

Sen, Sambudha, ”Hogarth, Egan, Dickens and the Making of an Urban Aesthetic” (Canvas)

Spivak, Gaytari C., ”Three Women´s Texts and a Critique of Imperialism” (Canvas)

Todorov, Tzvetan, ”Heart of Darkness” (Canvas)

Core Course Study Tours

The purpose of the study tour to London is to further expand and develop some of the major themes in the course. The part on Shakespeare is further developed through attening a performance of one of the plays studied at The Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as by taking a guided tour at The Globe, and participating in an actor’s workshop on Othello or The Merchant of Venice. We also investigate questions of how city space is connected to issues on class, power, and social tension; from a historical perspective by following in the footsteps of Dickens’ Oliver Twist; and in a contemporary setting, by visiting Grenfell Tower and reading Ben Okri’s epic poem. The tour also presents some major ideas on national identity and othering, for instance at The National Portrait Gallery. Multiculturalism is an essential part of modern urban space, and experiencing contemporary London is important for understanding and being able to interpret the novels by Kureishi and Smith from the last part of the course. The tour to London also includes trips to The Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate Modern, and other major attractions.

The short study tour to Uppsala will offer an opportunity for the students to familiarize themselves with Swedish history and academia, as well as with urban and rural historical environments. Furthermore, the tour will offer literary and historical perspectives on ”Othering” and on creative writing in the context of Swedish literature.

Approach to Teaching

I believe that teaching is a passion. Each session, seminar, or lecture is an opportunity not only to present facts, knowledge, and analytical perspectives, but to engage in dialogue with students on important literary, ideological, cultural, and existential questions and topics. I always encourage students to challenge themselves and to engage in critical thinking, whereby preconcieved ideas and one’s own prejudices are questioned and put into context.

Expectations of the Students

Students are expected to have done the reading for each class and to come prepared with notes and questions for the class to discuss. Engaged participation is part of the evaluation and grading of the course. It also makes the sessions so much more interesting and versatile. It is vital that the students engage in an ongoing critical dialogue based on the required texts. Engaged participation is also extended to include an oral presentation in class. Furthermore, students are expected to develop their writing abilities and their analytical approach to literature. During the course, students are expected to hand in two papers, as well as a final paper.

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated based on overall acquired skills, from demonstrating a basic understanding of facts and knowledge, over a comprehensive understanding of literary strategies and theoretical concepts, to a fully developed critical approach to important and complex questions regarding gender, postcolonialism, and multiculturalism, both in works of literature, and in theoretical works. Students will be evaluated based on the following: the engaged participation in class, the oral presentation in class, two written assignments, and the final paper.

Grading

Assignment

Percent

Participation

10%

Oral presentation 

10%

Paper 1

20%

Paper 2

20%

Final paper 

40%


Participation 10%

The student is expected to attend all sessions, to come prepared for each session, and to participate actively in all discussions during class.

Oral presentation 10%

Each student will choose a literary text from the course syllabus belonging to one of the sessions during the course. The student is expected to introduce some major themes and ideas from the text, present these to class and to lead the first part of the session in an informal, yet creative way (lasting for about 20 minutes). 

Paper 1 20%

The student is expected to write an essay (4-5 pages) on a major work or theme from the first part of the course. Further instructions will appear as the assignment is handed out.

Paper 2 20%

The student is expected to write a second essay (4-5 pages) on a major work or theme from the second or third part of the course. Further instructions will appear as the assignment is handed out.

Final paper 40%

The student is expected to write a final paper (8 pages), where several major works or themes from the course are discussed. Further instructions will appear as the assignment is handed out.

All assignment instructions will include detailed information regarding academic requirements. 

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

 

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due