ESH7070

From the Postcolonial to the Global: Literature and Theory

Level 7 (30 credits)

In this module, we will ask questions about key terms which define a constantly-moving field of study, and which help us to understand the world in which we live, for example colonial, postcolonial, empire, globality, world-system. We will think about these through literary and creative texts that offer us new perspectives on a modern world that is as connected as it is uneven, governed by the structures of contemporary capital and longer histories of empire. We will do this, very consciously, from the perspective of our location in east London, itself an exemplar of the global city.

Preparing for this module and approximate costs:

While there is no required advance preparation for this module, there are a number of ways you can get ahead with your reading, or get started with thinking about some of the key questions we'll be exploring.

You may want to read one or more of the primary texts. The first few we'll be reading are:

Doris Lessing, The Grass is Singing

Patrick Chamoiseau, Texaco

M. NourbeSe Philip, Zong!

Indra Sinha, Animal’s People

Alternatively, you may want to read a theoretical or critical text which provides some grounding to our discussions. We will be reading extracts from the following in the first couple of weeks:

Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth

Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks

Edward Said, Orientalism

You could also dip into a good introductory text or reader such as Ashcroft, Griffiths and Tiffin, The Postcolonial Studies Reader. This has been repeatedly reissued -- the new edition just came out in 2024, but older editions are good too.

The essential primary texts for this course, if bought new, will cost approximately £50. But note that these costs can be significantly reduced by purchasing items second-hand or borrowing them from the Library. Other reading will be made available in the module pack at no cost.
We will take a trip to Tate Modern in Week 6, to see the Zanele Muholi exhibition. Exhibition entry will be covered by the Department, but you will need to pay for return tube travel to Zone 1.

Content Notes

Programme
Learning Context	Long Seminar
Semester	Semester 1
Assessment	1. Essay (4000 words) 100%
Contact	Rachael Gilmour

School of English and Drama, Queen Mary University of London
Contact: sed-information@qmul.ac.uk

Last updated on 21 Aug 2024 by Richard Coulton
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