This module aims to introduce students to a range of keywords and concepts in world literature, providing a foundation for study for the programme English with World Literature;

The module will provide an overview of a range of definitions of world literature, situating these in their cultural contexts;

The module will introduce students to approaches to studying literature in translation, and multilingual and translingual literature

The module will enable students to apply critical concepts, theories and frameworks to a range of literary texts from different national and regional traditions, genres and types;

The module will develop students’ critical thinking and academic writing, as well as communication skills in individual and group spoken and written work.

(LO1) Students will be able to demonstrate awareness of different approaches to notions of national and regional literatures as well as concepts of world literature.

(LO2) Students will be able to apply concepts and frameworks of world literature critically to analyse and interpret a range of texts in different genres.

(LO3) Students will have an awareness of how to work critically with literature in translation as well as multilingual and translingual writing.

(LO4) Students will have the ability to construct and support an argument in written or spoken forms suitable for academic work.

(S1) Students will acquire analytical skills and vocabulary appropriate to university-level work and be able to use them appropriately in relation to a range of sources from different historical periods and social contexts.

(S2) Students will have the ability to relate literary texts to different kinds of context.

(S3) Students will have the ability to write with appropriate subject knowledge, using appropriate approaches and terminology.

(S4) Students will gain the ability to work in groups and be able to participate constructively in group discussions.

Lectures and seminars (max. 20 per group), 1 of each per week:

Students will attend introductory lectures for each concept / text and then apply the knowledge gained in directed discussion in follow-up seminars. Each seminar will concentrate on either a literary text or a key critical reading, and students will be expected to prepare in advance.

Notes:
Description of how self-directed learning hours may be used: These will be spent reading the set texts for each week and relevant secondary material; preparing and completing the formative and summative assessments and attending consultation hours with tutors as appropriate and as needed.

Key topics to be covered may include (but not be limited to):

Key words and concepts in world literature;

Introduction to a range of definitions of world literature e.g. ‘littérature-monde’, ‘Weltliteratur’ in their historical and cultural context;

How to approach and work with literatures in translation, and the notion of untranslatability;

Translingual, multilingual and minority literatures;

Concepts of borders and boundaries, as well as regions, transnational and diasporic experience;

Weekly seminars applying these key concepts to close study of range of literary texts, including graphic texts(normally including, but not limited to, literatures in Basque, Catalan, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish among others).

This content will be available via CANVAS, library resources (including e-library reading list) and key texts;

There will be a small core of weekly required reading whi ch will involve critical material and at least one literary extract.
There will be a range of supplementary reading material that will be optional and students will be encouraged to read widely within and beyond the supplementary material, including reading other literary texts (which will be suggested but will not be exhaustive);

Students will be expected to complete independent reading in preparation for seminars but preparatory questions/discussion points will be provided each week to structure and support student learning.