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55638-01 - Research seminar: Out of Africa: Novels in English from Chinua Achebe to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (4 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2019 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Therese Steffen (therese.steffen@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This MA-Research Seminar seeks to explore selected major texts in English out of Africa in their respective sociohistoric context since the post-colonial era of the 1950s and 60s, including most recent transnational developments: broadly defined from Chinua Achebe to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The place of African culture within the post-colonial environment, the clash between tradition and modernity remains a central issue in the second half of the 20th century. So does the critique of corruption, cleptocracy and tyranny of the new post-colonial era. Female writers have successfully contributed to the opening up of tabooed issues: Higher education, mobility, independence, and equality emblematic in an increasing transnational trajectory. |
| Bibliography | Texts by among others: Chinua Achebe, "Things Fall Apart", Amos Tutuola, "The Palm Wine Drinkard", Wole Soyinka, "King Baabu" (play), Ken Saro-Wiwa, "Soza Boy", "A Novel in Rotten English", Ngugi wa Thiong'o, "Decolonizing the Mind", Buchi Emecheta, "Joys of Motherhood", NoViolet Bulawayo, "We Need New Names", China Keitetsi, "Child Soldier: Fighting for my life". Tsitsi Dangarembga, "Nervous Conditions", J.M. Coetzee, "Disgrace". Zoë Wicomb, "Playing in the Light", SA slam poetry, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, "Americanah", Taiye Selasi, "Ghana Must Go", essays on "afropolitanism", "multilocalism". Texts will be available on the reserved shelf and at Buchhandlung zum Labyrinth. |
| Course application | Students wishing to participate should contact Therese Steffen <therese.steffen@unibas.ch> for details. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
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No dates available. Please contact the lecturer.
| Modules |
Modul: Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies (Master's degree subject: English) Modul: Fields: Media and Imagination (Master's degree program: African Studies) 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) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| 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 |