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| Semester | spring semester 2017 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Anja Mauruschat (ania.mauruschat@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This course offers an introduction to the study of postmodern literature by the example of David Foster Wallace's seminal novel "Infinite Jest" (1996) as well as it introduces the students to two reading methods: close reading and social reading. Details will be announced at the beginning of the spring term. |
| Learning objectives | You will practice the most traditional way of studying literature, close reading, and at the same time you will engage in discovering the latest developments of social reading in the digital age. Therefore we will focus exclusively on the novel Infinite Jest (1079 pages) by David Foster Wallace, situate it in the context of its publication in 1996 and explore recent critical perspectives on this seminal masterpiece. |
| Bibliography | Before the beginning of the term, the whole novel Infinite Jest must be read in English, either as paperback or as e-book. The English and the German paperback will be on sale at the 'Labyrinth' bookstore. You might consider supporting your local bookstore. All additional texts will be made available on ADAM. Make sure you buy exactly these copies of Infinite Jest: David Foster Wallace: Infinite Jest. A novel. New York: Back Bay Books, 2006. David Foster Wallace: Infinite Jest. Ebook / Kindl edition. Recommended additional purchase: David Foster Wallace: Unendlicher Spass. Infinite Jest. Roman. Aus dem Englischen von Ulrich Blumenbach. Köln: Kiepenheuer & Witsch, 2009. |
| Comments | Due to a research trip of the lecturer the first class of the seminar will take place on March 13. Before that everyone will have to register at MOnA. You also will have to register at a social reading platform and comment on your personal reading experience online. The social reading platform will be an integral part for the seminar. Details will be announced in the first session on March 13. The two missed sessions in February will be caught up as an evening session with a screning of the movie "The End of the Tour" and with a workshop on a Friday afternoon the 21st or the 28th of April. Special guest at the workshop will be Ulrich Blumenbach, who just received the renowned Basler Kulturpreis 2016 for his excellent and outstanding translations, forst and foremost of David Foster Wallace's "Infinite Jest". |
| Weblink | ADAM |
| Admission requirements | This seminar is for BA students on the advanced level: for BA05 students those who have completed their proseminar paper in Literary & Cultural Studies; for BA13 students those who have completed ALL three introductory modules (including the proseminar papers). |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | Online, mandatory |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
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No dates available. Please contact the lecturer.
| Modules |
Modul Advanced Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies (Bachelor's degree subject: English) Modul Extending the View (Literary and Cultural Studies) (Bachelor's degree subject: English (Start of studies before 01.08.2013)) Modul Focusing on the Discipline (Literary and Cultural Studies) (Bachelor's degree subject: English (Start of studies before 01.08.2013)) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | regular attendance, active participation in class and online |
| 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 |