ENG4434 - 20th Century American Literature: Race, Gender, Performativity

Course content

This course critically examines the concepts of ‘race’, ‘gender’ and ‘performativity’ in 20th century literature and theory. We will study the ways in which various writers and scholars use these three concepts to interrogate the relationship between ‘identity’ and ‘representation’. The topics in this course are related to many contemporary social debates, allowing us to study the relationship between literature and identity politics.

Learning outcome

After completing this course you will have:

• acquired analytical skills by focusing on a particular theme within 20th-century literature;
• familiarized yourself with some of the most important contemporary theory in the humanities, learning how to read and interpret this theory as well as apply it to literary texts;
• learned to understand the ways that literature and theory intervene in current debates about identity politics.

Admission

Students at UiO must apply for courses in StudentWeb.

International applicants, if you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.

The examination in this course is not available for external candidates. Only students admitted to the course may sit for the examination.

Prerequisites

Formal prerequisite knowledge

Admission to the master program in literature, LAP or other suitable master programs.

Teaching

Seminar, two hours per week for 10 weeks, 20 hours in total.

Regular attendance and active participation is required, e.g. in the form of one or more oral presentations.

Attendance is an obligatory class requirement (80%).

Access to teaching

Examination

A term paper of 10 standard pages (topic to be decided between teacher and student).

All written papers must be accompanied by a declaration concerning cheating Obligatorisk erklæring vedr. fusk

Examination support material

Language of examination

English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Marks will be published on Studentweb no later than three weeks after the submission date/exam.

Explanations and appeals

You may request an explanation of your grades, and you may also appeal against your grades or make a complaint about formal examination errors. Read more about explanations and appeals.

Resit an examination

You can usually resit an exam, but the conditions depend on whether you had a valid reason for absence from the regular exam. Read more about resitting an exam.

Withdrawal from an examination

Special examination arrangements

If you have a disability or a health problem that entails significant inconvenience in an examination situation, you may be considered for special examination arrangements. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.

Evaluation

Feedback from our students is essential to us in our efforts to ensure and further improve the high quality of our programmes and courses. All courses are subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students on a particular course to participate in a more comprehensive, periodic evaluation of this course.