Literature in a Changing World 2

COURSE OBJECTIVE
After completing this course, students are able to:
• close-read texts coming from a variety of (continental as well as diasporic) African backgrounds and various historical time periods.
• draw on academic theories that are relevant for an understanding of the short story and novella genre; the workings of anthologies; online writing space; issues such as canon formation; etc.
• apply theoretical concepts such as subject-position, intersectionality, and agency to the texts studied.
• comparatively analyze texts coming from different national and cultural contexts.
• share their own reflections, both personal and academic, on assigned readings with fellow participants.
• freely express their ideas in both written work and oral presentations.
• engage in class discussions in a diversity-sensitive manner and are (more) aware of socio-political issues that play a role in culturally diverse classroom settings.

COURSE CONTENT
This course offers the opportunity to become acquainted (again) with
1. two genres that have been overlooked in (western) academia for a long time: short stories, novellas.
2. a collection of texts that have only recently become more widely popular in the west: African short stories in English. The stories assigned for reading will be grouped according to topics and/or origin. However, we will also look at issues such as • context: anthologies, canon formation, literary awards, translation, reception, theories of (post)colonial writing, world literature, etc. • narrative structure, style, genre, focalization, etc. In conjunction with the short stories we will also read secondary texts.

TEACHING METHODS
Seminar: 2 x 3 hours per week; possibly guest speakers from the literary field; possibly excursion (museum, lecture at a cultural institute, film viewing).

TYPE OF ASSESSMENT
30%: Participation (10% class participation; 20% student-led discussion). Detailed instructions will be on Canvas before the course starts.

30%: Written assignments (personal journal entries). Detailed instructions will be on Canvas before the course starts.

40%: Take-home exam. Detailed instructions will be on Canvas before the course starts. Students will work with sample questions in week 3 and week 7.