English - Free topic C: Writing Africa: Four Perspectives on Nigerian and Kenyan Literature

Course content

What does it mean to write Africa? In this class we ponder how writers write colonised and postcolonised Africa through two case studies, zooming in on Nigeria and Kenya. By pairing early and recent literary representations of the two nations we ask how place is evoked in this literature. What has changed in the writing of Africa from the early classic texts and those published now? Who do the writers write for? How do they write Africa – and more narrowly – Kenya and Nigeria? In order to answer such sweeping questions, we close read four novels from four different perspectives: nation, language, cosmopolitanism and feminism.

Teaching and learning methods

Class instruction; preparation based on seminar notes and discussion points. 14 weeks of 2x2 seminar hours alternating between the teachers

Literature

Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart (1958), Ngugi wa Thiong’o, A Grain of Wheat (1967) Ayòbámi Adébayò, A Spell of Good Things (2023), Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, The Dragonfly Sea (2019). Plus a selection of theoretical and critical essays and book chapters.

Remarks

This course only leads to exams Free Topic 1, Free Topic 2 and Free Topic 3.

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Written

Oral

Individual

Collective

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Proof of English proficiency is required if you want to take this course. Find the requirements here: https://studies.ku.dk/study-abroad/erasmus/course-information/proof-of-english-proficiency/

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International fee-paying guest students: visit https://humanities.ku.dk/education/guest/ on how to sign up for courses.

Exam (Free topic 1, 2 or 3)

ECTS: 15 ECTS
Type of assessment: Portfolio, A joint portfolio uploaded in digital exam: Deadline June 7th 2024
Type of assessment details: 2 essays of 10-12 pages. The first essay is to be submitted in week 11 and will be returned with feedback. The second essay to be submitted at portfolio deadline. Total portfolio pages 21-25 pages. The essay questions will be released at semester start together with the course plan.
Exam registration requirements: This course only leads to exams Free Topic 1, Free Topic 2 and Free Topic 3.

Criteria for exam assessment

http://hum.ku.dk/uddannelser/aktuelle_studieordninger/engelsk/

Course type

Single subject courses (day)

Workload

Category
Hours
Class Instruction
56
Preparation
353,5
English
409,5

Kursusinformation

Language: English
Course number: HENKF2403U
ECTS: 15 ECTS
Programme level: Full Degree Master
Full Degree Master choice
Duration: 1 semester
Placement: Spring
Price: Dette er et kursus via tompladsordningen mod betaling på Åbent Universitet. Tilmeld dig og se aktuel prisoversigt på denne side.
Schedulegroup: See schedule
Capacity: 35
If there are more registrations than places, the places are allocated by random draw.
Studyboard: Study board of English, Germanic and Romance Studies

Contracting department

Department of English, Germanic and Romance Studies

Contracting faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Course Coordinators

Eva Rask Knudsen (5-768372847c5179867e3f7c863f757c)
Ulla Rahbek (4-857c7c715078857d3e7b853e747b)

Saved on the 02-11-2023

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