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| Semester | fall semester 2022 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Christiane Schlote (christiane.schlote@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | In a 2016 New York Times interview, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak poignantly states: "We have this glamorization of urban poverty by the wealthier philanthropist and aid agencies. There is always a fascination with the picture-perfect idea of poverty; children playing in open sewers and the rest of it. Of course, such lives are proof of grave social injustice. But top-down philanthropy, with no interest in an education that strengthens the soul, is counterproductive, an assurance that there will be no future resistance, only instant celebrity for the philanthropist". Spivak's argument relates to what Lilie Chouliaraki has identified as the "inadequacy of the discourse of pity" (2010) in contemporary humanitarian debates. Drawing on development, human rights and political ethics discourses, in this seminar, which will also include a visit to the library and archives of the Basler Afrika Bibliographien, we will examine the political and ideological nature and history of humanitarian aid, from colonial missions to contemporary development practices, and from 'Brand Aid' (Richey & Ponte) to celebrity humanitarianism and 'decaf capitalism' (Kapoor), as portrayed in a variety of cultural texts (including literature, drama, film, graphic novels, memoirs and blogs). |
| Learning objectives | Students will become acquainted with key development and humanitarian aid concepts and discourses and gain competence in interdisciplinary theoretical approaches to a wide range of ‘fictions of development’. |
| Bibliography | Students should acquire the following texts: Nuruddin Farah, "Gifts" (1992), and Barbara Kingsolver, "The Poisonwood Bible" (1998). Theoretical and additional primary texts will be made available on ADAM. |
| Weblink | ADAM |
| Admission requirements | For MA and PhD students only |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | Online, mandatory |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Wednesday | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 21.09.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Wednesday 28.09.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Wednesday 05.10.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Wednesday 12.10.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Wednesday 19.10.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Wednesday 26.10.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Wednesday 02.11.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Wednesday 09.11.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Wednesday 16.11.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Wednesday 23.11.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Wednesday 30.11.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Wednesday 07.12.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Wednesday 14.12.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Wednesday 21.12.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 105 |
| Modules |
Modul: Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies (Master's degree subject: English) Modul: Literatur- und kulturwissenschaftliche Forschung (Master's degree program: Literary Studies) Modul: Research in Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies (Master's degree subject: English) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Regular and active participation, reading assignments, oral presentation, optional seminar paper |
| 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 |