Introduction to Literary Theory (200-0-20)
Topic
Postcolonial & Decolonial Literary Theory
Instructors
Maite Rebecca Noemie Marciano
Meeting Info
Kresge Centennial Hall 2-329: Tues, Thurs 2:00PM - 3:20PM
Overview of class
Intro to Literary Theory: Postcolonial and Decolonial Literary Theory
• This course offers an introduction to key works of criticism and major theories of the study of literature, with a specific emphasis on postcolonial and decolonial literary theory. We will ask questions at the very heart of literary studies: what is literature and what are its uses? How does language shape human experience, subjecthood, and identity? What can we learn from literature about contemporary concerns such as feminism, racism, empire, postcoloniality and decoloniality? How does literature function as a vehicle for critiquing and questioning dominant knowledge narratives and versions of history, particularly the legacies of empire? We will survey debates about these questions in the criticism of the past as well as in recent theory, emphasizing modes of reading critically in relation to dynamics of race, class, gender, and sexuality. We will conclude our class by examining the various possible futures of literary theory, as well as its significance and capacity to reshape and reimagine the world.
Learning Objectives
Students will be expected to:
To gain practical knowledge of critical methods and approaches to literature;
To gain practical knowledge of postcolonial and decolonial literary theory
To secure the skills of close reading, comparative interpretation, and critical versatility;
To strengthen the capacities of critical thinking and analysis, both oral and written;
To apply these skills by evaluating the linguistic, social, & political specificity of literary texts;
To broaden horizons of comparative literacy, by building frameworks for reading across cultures, languages, history, geography, and media;
To gain familiarity with the development of the field of comparative literary studies, and to build a sense of cohort and shared enterprise among students in the major.
Teaching Method
Class participation, discussions, group work, presentations, readings, writing assignments
Evaluation Method
Attendance, class participation, personal reflection, short midterm paper, final paper, and presentation.
Class Materials (Required)
All readings will be made available as PDF files on Canvas.
Class Attributes
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area