This course is aimed at first-year students and is intended to be taken in conjunction with the two-part Survey of English Literature lecture course. This introductory course provides students with fundamental analytical tools for the study of literary texts through close examination of the three main literary genres: drama, poetry and prose. Lectures will also cover essay writing and referencing skills as well as introduce students to foundational questions in literary theory in order to provide a thorough grounding in the subject prior to more specialised modules in the programme.
Content wise the proseminar of Introduction to Literary Studies will focus on British and Commonwealth Colonial and Postcolonial Literature. Students enrolled in this proseminar will be introduced to a series of literary texts written by British authors during the period of colonial and imperialist expansion, as well as the growing production of postcolonial literatures from and about previously colonised territories. Through these texts students will not only learn to discuss, and analyse a diverse body of literary works addressing questions of history, identity, ethnicity, gender, and language, but they will also gain an understanding on how to critically analyse and deconstruct the discourses in which colonial relations and represented as well as point out the ideological impact of Western imperialism and its continuing influence (neo-colonialism).
- Teacher: Jole Fontanesi