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| Semester | fall semester 2021 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Ridvan Askin (ridvan.askin@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | In this course we will read and discuss six American novels published after 2000, Marilynne Robinson's "Gilead" (2004), Mark Z. Danielewski's "Only Revolutions" (2006), Jesmyn Ward's "Salvage the Bones" (2011), Ben Lerner's "10:04" (2014), Laila Lalami's "The Moor's Account" (2014), and Colson Whitehead's "The Nickel Boys" (2019). These novels range widely in form and content, from genre-bending experimental road novel (Danielewski) to poetic exploration of the plight of African-Americans during hurricane Katrina (Ward), from epistolary musings on the import of spirituality (Robinson) to grim, realist account of institutional child abuse in Jim Crow-era Florida (Whitehead), from contemporary metafiction (Lerner) to Arab-American fictional travel writing reclaiming the very foundations of Colonial America (Lalami). They thus testify to the extraordinary liveliness and variability of the contemporary US novel. |
| Learning objectives | Students taking this course will become acquainted with some of the most exciting recent developments in the novel genre. Along the way, they will familiarize themselves with some of the most pressing cultural issues in the US today. |
| Bibliography | Please purchase the novels listed below. Any edition will do. - Marilynne Robinson, "Gilead" (2004) - Mark Z. Danielewski, "Only Revolutions" (2006) - Jesmyn Ward, "Salvage the Bones" (2011) - Ben Lerner, "10:04" (2014) - Laila Lalami, "The Moor’s Account" (2014) - Colson Whitehead, "The Nickel Boys" (2019) Please read and prepare David Rudrum's article "The Polymodern Condition" for the first session. Copies of the books will be available at the Labyrinth bookstore. All other texts will be made available on ADAM. |
| Comments | Please read and prepare David Rudrum's "The Polymodern Condition" for the first session. |
| Weblink | ADAM |
| Admission requirements | It is strongly recommended that this course is taken only after the successful completion of the "Introduction I: Literary Studies" and "Introduction II: Literary Theory" proseminars. |
| Course application | To register, please send an email to ridvan.askin(at)unibas.ch by September 13. Places are limited to 25. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | Online, mandatory |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Tuesday | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 21.09.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Tuesday 28.09.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Tuesday 05.10.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Tuesday 12.10.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Tuesday 19.10.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Tuesday 26.10.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Tuesday 02.11.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Tuesday 09.11.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Tuesday 16.11.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Tuesday 23.11.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Tuesday 30.11.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Tuesday 07.12.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Tuesday 14.12.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Tuesday 21.12.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Modules |
Modul: Introduction to Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies (Bachelor's degree subject: English) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Regular attendance, active participation, two short writing assignments |
| 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 |