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78365-01 - Research seminar: Ghostly Ancestors, Creole Identities: Anglophone Caribbean Literatures (4 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Ana Sobral (ana.sobral@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | One of the pivotal areas of colonial enterprise since Christopher Columbus reached the Bahamas in 1492, the Caribbean became the stage for major developments in European colonialism. The highly conflictual history of the region has left indelible marks in the collective memory of its people and has strongly influenced literary production. This seminar examines the ways in which the past has shaped the present in Caribbean cultures and literatures. Covering major topics such as exploration travels, slave trade, piracy, plantation slavery, slave uprisings, maroon communities, racial miscegenation and gendered experiences, our focus will be on Anglophone Caribbean narratives that reflect the area's history of occupation and struggle for independence. We will discuss foremost postcolonial writers such as Jamaica Kincaid (Antigua), Edward Brathwaite (Barbados), Derek Walcott (Saint Lucia) and Michelle Cliff (Jamaica), and we will explore a variety of texts and media, ranging from novels and poetry to essays, Reggae music and film. Our discussions will be shaped by theoretical reflections on issues of creolization and hybridity, as well as by cultural memory studies. |
| Learning objectives | Students will be introduced to key features of Anglophone Caribbean literaturers and cultures and gain a deeper understanding of the Caribbean, its history and significance. |
| Bibliography | Theoretical texts will be made available on ADAM. Students are requested to purchase the following novel: Michelle Cliff, “Abeng”, Penguin Edition. |
| Weblink | ADAM |
| Admission requirements | This research seminar is open only to MA and PhD students. |
| Course application | Please register for this course on https://services.unibas.ch/. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | Online, mandatory |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 16.15-18.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 19.02.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Thursday 26.02.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Fasnachtsferien |
| Thursday 05.03.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Thursday 12.03.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Thursday 19.03.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Thursday 26.03.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Thursday 02.04.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Ostern |
| Thursday 09.04.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Thursday 16.04.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Thursday 23.04.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Thursday 30.04.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Thursday 07.05.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Thursday 14.05.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Auffahrt |
| Thursday 21.05.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Thursday 28.05.2026 | 16.15-18.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Modules |
Modul: Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies (Master's degree subject: English) Modul: Literatur- und kulturwissenschaftliche Forschung (Master's degree program: Literary Studies) Modul: Literaturgeschichte (Master's degree program: Literary Studies) Modul: Research in Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies (Master's degree subject: English) Module: Fields: Media and Imagination (Master's degree program: African Studies) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | In this seminar, students are expected to: 1) Write an online entry on the ADAM forum on a specific topic related to a specific session and based on a secondary text provided by the lecturer beforehand (500-800 words); 2) Write a short online comment on the ADAM forum on another student's online entry (ca. 300 words); 3) Provide a comment in class on the online entry and online comments on ADAM provided by other students (about 10 minutes). All topics and texts will be introduced in the first session and will frame each subsequent session. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Englische Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft |