ESH6093
American Ecologies
Level 6 (30 credits)
In American literature, 'nature' his long been celebrated as a locus of national identity and source of philosophical inspiration. But the very celebration of nature prompts tricky questions: what if nature is inhospitable to humans; what if humans are inhospitable to it; what if 'nature' is not one thing but many? This module considers texts from the early 1800s to the twenty-first century; human-animal relations; gender, ethnicity and race; technology, climate change and ecological disaster. Literary text are read alongside concepts and methodologies drawn from ecocriticism.
Preparing for this Module and Approximate Costs
No advance prepartation is required, though you could read a short introduction to ecocritical ideas, e.g. Greg Garrard, Ecocriticism (2023). Full details of the set texts will be published near the start of teaching but these may include: Ralph Waldo Emerson, 'Nature' (1836); Mary Austin, The Land of Little Rain (1903); Jack London, Call of the Wild (1903); Rachel Carson, The Sea Around Us (1951); Octavia Butler, Parable of the Sower (1993); Jesmym Ward, Salvage the Bones (2011).
You will need to buy approximately 5-7 books, costing c. £70.
Why take American Ecologies
?
- Read a wide range of American literature, from several periods and many genres.
- Think critically about key issues that now confront the planet.
- Acquire key concepts of ecocriticism.
| Learning Context |
Long Seminar + Workshop (or equivalent) |
| Semester |
Two |
| Assessment |
- Participation, 10%
- Written Assignment 1, 30%
- Written Assignment 2, 60%
|
| Mode of reassessment |
Standard |
| Contact |
|
There is some content covered on the programme that you may find challenging and sensitive. We do not issue content notes for individual texts (written, performance, visual, sonic etc.), but please do contact your module tutor and/or convenor and/or adviser if you have concerns or problems relating any of the content, themes or discussions.
