Comparative Literatures and Cultures: Theories and Approaches
| Module title | Comparative Literatures and Cultures: Theories and Approaches |
|---|---|
| Module code | SML1003 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Muireann Maguire (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 20 |
|---|
Module description
This module provides the theoretical grounding and methodological tools to study comparative literature and culture. Beginning with questions about how we define terms such as ‘world’ and ‘global’, we problematize ‘the canon’ and explore postcolonial and decolonial theory. The module has a unique focus on literatures and cultures within a system of producers and consumers: we will consider the agents involved in the production of literature, film, and art, and explore cultures of reading and viewing. We will think about modes of comparison and processes of reception, intertextuality, adaptation and translation. You will develop your translation literacy in preparation for reading and viewing in translation.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to:
- Prepare you for the study of comparative literatures and cultures with a grounding in relevant theories and methodological tools
- Develop your understanding of the multiple systems that shape the production and reception of literature, film and art
- Provoke reflection on your own attitudes to literature and culture from around the world
- Encourage independent and collaborative specialised study of selected topics and texts, developing valuable transferable skills in cultural contextualisation, textual analysis, critical thinking, and group discussion
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Identify and describe key theories and methodologies for the comparative study of literatures and cultures
- 2. Reflect critically on the production and reception of literature, film and art
- 3. Demonstrate basic translation literacy
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Apply theory to literary and visual texts
- 5. Analyse some contemporary debates in light of the history of the discipline
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Conduct independent study, including preparing material for seminars and assessments
- 8. Present a simple but cogent argument orally or in writing on a specified topic and following guidelines provided
Syllabus plan
While the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:
- How and why do we compare literatures and cultures?
- ‘World literature’, ‘global literature’ and other definitions
- The canon: where does it come from and what does it do?
- Postcolonial and decolonial theory
- Developing translation literacy
- Texts within texts: metafiction and intertextuality
- Agents of cultural production and circulation
- Cultures of reading and viewing
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | 134 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 10 | Lecture |
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 5 | Seminar |
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 1 | Revision Session |
| Guided independent study | 134 | Preparation for seminars; reading of primary and secondary material; preparation of formative assignment; preparation of summative assessment. |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio extract | 500 words | 1-7 | Written, plus oral discussion if required |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective portfolio | 100 | 2500 words | 1-7 | Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective portfolio (2500 words) | Reflective portfolio (2500 words) | 1-7 | Referral/Deferral Period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Graham Allan, Intertextuality (Routledge, 2000)
Emily Apter, Against World Literature: on the Politics of Untranslatability (Verso, 2014)
Susan Basnett, ‘Reflections on Comparative Literature in the 21st-Century', Comparative Critical Studies, 3.1-2 (2006), 3–11
Catherine Brown, ‘What is Comparative Literature?’, Comparative Critical Studies, 10.1 (2013), 67-88
Pascale Casanova, The World Republic of Letters (Harvard University Press, 2004)
David Damrosch, What is World Literature? (Princeton University Press, 2018)
Ben Hutchinson, Comparative Literature: a very short introduction (Oxford University Press, 2018)
Franco Moretti, ’Conjectures on World Literature’, New Left Review, 2000, Vol.1 (1), p.54-68
Brian Nelson and Brigid Maher eds. Perspectives on Literature and Translation: Creation, Circulation, Reception. (Routledge, 2013)
Haun Saussy, Comparative Literature in an age of globalisation (ACLA, 2006)
A full bibliography will be provided on the ELE page.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | SML1004 |
| NQF level (module) | 4 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 14/11/2023 |
| Last revision date | 14/08/2024 |
