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.
Class instruction; preparation based on seminar notes and discussion points. 14 weeks of 2x2 seminar hours alternating between the teachers
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.
This course only leads to exams Free Topic 1, Free Topic 2 and Free Topic 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.
Criteria for exam assessment
Single subject courses (day)
- 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
- Schedulegroup
-
See schedule
- 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 (5-687564766e436b7870316e7831676e)
- Ulla Rahbek (4-776e6e63426a776f306d7730666d)
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