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“Post-colonial
Fiction in English” [ENG312C2]
Module Handbook
Co-ordinator: Dr Bruce Stewart
1. Module Description
This module covers a selection of novels written in former colonies of Britain, now independent countries, whether in Africa, India, the Carribbean or in Ireland . It poses specific questions regarding the nature of colonial and post-colonial society; the condition of the colonised subject; the roles of education and cultural transmission; the place of literature in post-colonial society and, arising from this, the function of post-colonial fiction. The novels are read alongside classics of anti-colonial discourse and more recent works of postcolonial criticism. Consideration of a British colonial text is included in order to supply a contrast at the outset.
By way of introduction the module engages with the historical narrative of colonialism and resistance and considers the reciprocal experience of the coloniser and the colonised in that context. In so doing it puts into play the terms imperialism, hegemony, native, stereotype, class, resistance, authenticity, atavism (‘return of the repressed’), ethnicity and hybridity among others. Questions of identity and representation are examined in conjunction with those of literary style and tradition, thus promoting an informed awareness of the dynamics of post-colonial narrative, its location in culture and society, its enabling capacity and the criteria by which it may be evaluated.
Some emphasis is placed on the partnership between lecturer and students in exploring the reading list and identifying key topics, qualities, and points of interest. This is reflected practically in a requirement that students attend all seminars if possible, as well as in a policy of peer-marking for Continuous Assessment. The best essays written during the semester will be incorporated on the Module website before the date of the Class Test with the idea that other students can benefit from your engagement with the subject and its written outcomes. (Permission to publish essays in this way will of course be sought and appropriate emendations suggested for optimum appearance.)
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2. Aims and Objectives
| 1. |
To gain familiarity with a selection
of novels by colonial and postcolonial writers in the English
language from Africa, India, the Caribbean and Ireland. |
| 2. |
To develop an understanding of the interpretative
apparatus which has been brought to bear on this literature and
its contexts by postcolonial commentators and theorists. |
| 3. |
To develop and practise appropriate responses
to the texts and commentaries upon them leading to a clear understanding
of its distinctive features of the literary corpus and its place
in the wider tradition of literature(s) in English. |
3. Learning Outcomes
| On completion of the module students will be expected
to have: |
| 1. |
acquired a good working knowledge
of the selected texts considered as representatives of colonial and postcolonial writing; |
| 2. |
acquired an understanding of the broad context
within which postcolonial literature has developed and of the
ways in which the selected writers engaged with the time(s) and
place(s) in which they are living or have lived; |
| 3. |
developed an ability to engage in literary-critical
debate (written or oral) conducted in relation to the dominant
concerns of authors and commentators explicitly involved with
the production and examination of
postcolonial literature; |
| 4. |
enhanced through practice the communicative
skills (written and oral) already developed in relation English-subject
modules studied to date at the University of Ulster. |
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4. Course Management
| Teaching/Learning |
| Teaching/learning is conducted
through lectures, seminars and independent study. Students
will be expected to undertake a substantial amount of
independent study based on the reading lists supplied
and other resources during the working week or elsewhere
in their own schedule. |
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| Lectures |
| There will be two lectures per
week, the first addressing the historical and theoretical
context, the second focusing alternately on a specific
novel or a classic of postcolonial discourse. Lectures
will be given by the Module Co-ordinator and possibly
by visiting lecturers. |
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| Seminars |
| Seminars will be largely given over
to student presentations with topical discussion and detailed
consideration of primary texts arising from them. Specific study-tasks may be assigned to any student in order to gather information
on further issues arising in those sessions. (See “Class Presentations”.) |
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| Independent Study |
| Students will be encouraged to explore the reading
list as widely as possible. 100 hours of independent study
during the semester is the minimum required
to do justice to primary and secondary reading on the
Module. Credit will be given for
relevant research in printed books, journals, and on-line
internet resources. |
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5. Methods of Assessment
This Module is assessed by Course Work consisting in a Class Presentation (Essay) and Class Test. 50% is given for class presentation and the essay arising from it and 50% for a Class Test to be held at the end of the semester. In the event of a presentation being made and no essay following, the mark allotted will be out of 25% of the total. A factor of minus 10% is will be applied to the resulting mark on the basis of attendance records, which will be kept throughout eleven weeks of the semester. (See “Seminar Groups”.)
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| Class Presentations |
| Students are required to give an oral presentation on any one of the novels listed under “Literary Texts” on the Module Reading List. Works treated may be chosen from either ‘Lectures’ or ‘Presentations’ on this list. A printed version of the presentation should be submitted within two weeks of delivery. (See the “Presentations”.) |
| For those preferring not to make an oral presentation for good reasons, the printed version must be submitted on the date normally assigned for handing in papers on non-core Modules in the English Subject (usually the last Friday before the Study Week). |
| The essay should follow the format recommended in the Course Handbook (See “Marking Scheme”). Care should be taken to provide adequate references (e.g., footnotes & bibliography) to enable the reader to trace each passage or judgement cited to its source in library books or websites. (Failure to do so risks the charge of plagiarism and a null mark.) |
| Grading will be conducted according to the English Division Marking Scheme set out at the end of this handbook, while taking into account the bracket suggested by seminar participants at the time of oral presentation as a guide-line to the final mark (i.e., 80-70, 69-60, 59-50, 50-40%). |
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| Class Test
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| The class test will consist of five questions in each of two sections (i.e., a total of ten). Students will be required to answer TWO questions only, taking ONE from EACH section. |
| The sections will deal with: |
| 1] |
Individual Works, to be discussed in terms of theme, treatment, biographical context(s) and more theoretical considerations required for their proper explication. |
| 2] |
General Issues of postcolonial fiction, illustrated with reference to individual fiction works and their authors. (Texts comprehensively treated in Sect. 1 should not be cited at length here.) |
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NOTE: Only texts covered in the lectures will be made the subject of questions in Sect. 1 while others dealt with in seminars can be cited in the Sect. 2. In neither part can texts dealt with in the Presentation/Essay be made the subject of whole answers on the Test.
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Assessment Criteria
| The following criteria will be
used to grade written work both in Continuous Assessment and
Sessional Exam: |
| Relevance: |
Extent to which
the submission answers reflects the interest and significance
of the text(s) or topic(s) identified in the task/question. |
| Strength of Argument: |
Perceptiveness; thoroughness;
development; consistency; persuasive-ness; force of
thought and expression; rightness of conclusions. |
| Use of Evidence: |
Degree of textual knowledge
regarding primary works; selectivity and appositeness
of quotations in the same connection. |
| Presentation: |
Correct grammar, spelling, and
punctuation; effective paragraphing; fluency of style;
quality of referencing, and bibliography [not applicable
class-tests]. |
| Research |
Extent and quality of engagement
with secondary sources. |
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(See also “Marking
Scheme”.) |
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Seminars Timetable
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The seminar provides a unique opportunity for developing communication skills, learning through discussion, and deepening one’s understanding of texts while refining one’s response in structured critical debates with others.
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Each seminar will be built around the presentations made by students and take the form of a question and answer review of the thrust of those presentations in relation to the texts and authors treated in them.
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Group |
Day |
Time |
Venue |
A: |
Monday |
11.15 |
H251 |
B: |
Monday |
12.15 |
H251 |
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| Note: These times and venues are subject to revision during Week 1 in order to reduce the group size and to arrive at a more rational relationship between seminars & lectures. |
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A list of seminar members will be handed out at the first meeting (1st Feb.) If these do not accord with your diary in regard to other modules you can shift from one seminar on this Module to another.
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| A schedule of presentations will be drawn up in the first seminar meeting and posted on the Module website. Please notify me in good time of any anticipated absence. |
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Outline Study Programme
Control & Module Enhancement
| A student questionnaire will be circulated
towards the end of the semester giving students an opportunity
to consider whether the module as conducted fulfils the undertakings
in the handbook and any other legitimate expectations. Reasonable
complaints and practical recommendations made while the module
is in progress will be acted on as rapidly and as effectively
as possible. |
Module Co-ordinator
Dr Bruce Stewart,
MA PhD, RSA Dip. (TEFL)
Room J305/School of Langs. & Literature
University of Ulster at Coleraine
Cromore Rd., Coleraine, Co. Derry
Northern Ireland, BT52 1SA
Tel. 028-70324355
Fax 028-70324963
[ email ] |
NOTE: You are
most welcome to contact me at any time with concerns about
the programme or your contribution to it. My office hours
are 3.00-7.00p.m. each day but generally I am present in
my office (if not teaching) from 10.00 a.m. each morning.
An request for an appointment made through the English Secretary
will be speedily answered. In emergency: 028703 51579 [home]. |
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ENG312C2 - University of Ulster |