LN252 One Unit
Contemporary Literature and Global Society
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Dr Olga Sobolev
Availability
This course is available on the BA in Social Anthropology, BSc in Economic History, BSc in Economic History and Geography, BSc in Economics and Economic History, BSc in International Relations, BSc in International Relations and History, BSc in Language, Culture and Society, BSc in Social Anthropology, Erasmus Reciprocal Programme of Study and Exchange Programme for Students from University of California, Berkeley. This course is freely available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. It does not require permission. This course is freely available to General Course students. It does not require permission.
This course is available as an outside option to students on all undergraduate programmes, and to General Course students. Students can take this course in any year of their studies, subject to their own programme regulations.
This course is capped. Places will be assigned on a first come first served basis.
Requisites
Additional requisites:
Although an A-level pass or equivalent in Literature is useful, it is not an absolute requirement (especially for General Course students).
Course content
(a) Study of contemporary (chiefly post 2000) literature and films in the context of modern globalised society, covering prose, poetry, drama and cinematic works; (b) Focus on cultural postmodernism, including such aspects as: decline of national cultural frameworks; 'commodification' of culture; 'media-driven' society; gender issues; the problem of identity; social elites and social fragmentation; (c) study of films and individual authors in English translation (where relevant). (d) several related trips to galleries, film festivals and theatre productions during the year; (e) extensive use of archive recordings of authors, and video; (f) students are encouraged to draw upon their background in their main discipline, and to read widely.
Teaching
1 hours of lectures and 1 hours of classes in the Spring Term.
10 hours of lectures and 10 hours of classes in the Winter Term.
10 hours of lectures and 10 hours of classes in the Autumn Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn and Winter Term.
Structured activities during the reading week in the AT and WT. Revision tutorials in the ST.
Formative assessment
Students will be expected to produce 2 essays in the AT and WT.
Indicative reading
Literature: Douglas Coupland, Generation X; Viktor Pelevin, Generation P (Babylon); Vesna Goldsworthy Gorsky (Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby); Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Gloria, Milan Kundera, Ignorance; Mohsin Hamid, The Reluctant Fundamentalist; Marina Lewicka A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian; Monica Ali, Brick Lane; Jonathan S. Foer Everything Is Illuminated; Zadie Smith, White Teeth, John le Carré A Most Wanted Man.
Films: Good Bye, Lenin! (2003); Everything Is Illuminated (2005); Borat (2006); The Riot Club (2014); Loveless (2018).
Assessment
Exam (70%), duration: 180 Minutes in the Spring exam period
Project (30%, 2500 words)
a presentation (in the form of a topic-specific discussion) constitutes an essential part of the project-work
Key facts
Department: Language Centre
Course Study Period: Autumn, Winter and Spring Term
Unit value: One unit
FHEQ Level: Level 5
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 18
Average class size 2024/25: 9
Capped 2024/25: Yes(16)Course selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Application of information skills
- Communication
- Specialist skills