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79360-01 - Seminar: Ecological Narratives: Contemporary British Eco-Fictions (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Letizia Ambrosetti (letizia.ambrosetti@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | «To imagine other forms of human existence is exactly the challenge that is posed by the climate crisis: for if there is any one thing that global warming has made perfectly clear it is that to think about the world only as it is amounts to a formula for collective suicide. We need, rather, to envision what it might be» (Ghosh 2016). In the context of climate crisis, the genre of eco-fiction appears to offer a means of engaging with and developing new narrative forms, ones that may challenge habitual ways of thinking and perceiving responsibility. In this BA-Seminar, we will engage with fictional and theoretical writings within contemporary eco-fiction and eco-criticism, in order to explore and question the creative and transformative power of narrative. Focusing on the 21st-century British literary landscape, we will consider works that have shaped and continue to shape the genre of eco-fiction. As primary texts students will read the novels «Solar» (2010) by Ian McEwan, «The Ice» (2017) by Laline Paull, and «Orbital» (2023) by Samantha Harvey. We will examine these texts as examples of different narrative approaches to representing climate crisis in the 21st-century, while also considering how they contribute to broader contemporary cultural debates around ecology and environmental responsibility. |
| Learning objectives | - Students will analyse a range of 21st-century British texts that address climate crisis, with attention to their narrative strategies. - Students will engage with a range of theoretical perspectives related to these texts, including but not limited to concepts of the Anthropocene, the planetary, ecology, and environment. - Students will evaluate how different forms of storytelling shape our perception of environmental issues and human responsibility. |
| Bibliography | Students should purchase and read the following novels before the beginning of term: - Ian McEwan’s «Solar» - Laline Paull’s «The Ice» - Samantha Harvey’s «Orbital» Additional reading material will be made available on ADAM. |
| Weblink | ADAM |
| Admission requirements | This seminar is for BA students who have completed all introductory courses including the proseminar papers. |
| Course application | Please register for this course on services.unibas.ch. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | Online, mandatory |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Monday | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 14.09.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Monday 21.09.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Monday 28.09.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Monday 05.10.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Monday 12.10.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Monday 19.10.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Monday 26.10.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Monday 02.11.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Monday 09.11.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Monday 16.11.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Monday 23.11.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Monday 30.11.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Monday 07.12.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Monday 14.12.2026 | 14.15-16.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 106 |
| Modules |
Module: Advanced Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies (Bachelor's degree subject: English) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Regular attendance, active participation, written tasks. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Englische Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft |