‘Apricot Trees Exist’: Creative Environmental Writing in English
Course content
In this series of hands-on workshops we investigate climate crisis and the more-than-human/human interdependence by composing multimodal texts in response to recent Copenhagen University and international research. You do not need background in natural sciences (if you have it, it’s a bonus) – you need curiosity, commitment (regular attendance) and willingness to experiment creatively with the environmental knowledge you gain thanks to independent study, workshop practice, field trips and guests: scientists, activists and artists.
These creative collaborations invite us to rethink such concepts as ‘nature,’ ‘sustainability’ and ‘care’ by reading, watching and listening to a variety of academic, literary and artistic texts. We combine science, emotion and creative expression not only to describe environmental loss, grief and vulnerability but also to celebrate the Earth and biodiversity. We appreciate complex ecological interactions by working on our own projects: to explore environmental subjects that fascinate us and to experiment with diverse forms of communicating them to varied audiences. Our research-based, hybrid, multimodal works-in-progress (which may develop beyond the course) are forms of our green thinking, slow art, activism and stewardship.
On this course you will:
- engage in ‘two-eyed seeing’: combine scientific learning with writing, drawing, sketching, photographing, filming etc. to deepen your understanding of current environmental knowledge and your communication strategies;
- discuss environmental studies and reporting (both academic and popular) from ecocritical perspectives;
- read, watch, listen to non-academic multimodal environmental genres: nonfiction, fiction, poetry, posters, comics, graphic novels, plays, podcasts, sound works, songs, film poems, visual artworks, installations, performances, etc.;
- conduct literature review on the environmental subject of your choice;
- experiment with various creative forms (braided essay, zine, poster, stop-motion animation, audio work, artist’s book, etc.) to diversify your environmental storytelling for different audiences;
- reflect on what it means to be ecologically aware and ethically responsible as an individual, academic communicator and creative.
Over the semester, you explore selected environmental studies, literary works and visual arts. You develop your ecocritical awareness and communication skills by: conducting literature reviews, sharing your findings with peers (in groups and individual presentations), creating research-based multimodal texts/works and thinking of diverse audiences. You submit your work-in-progress for peer and tutor feedback (in October and November) and present it during open mics. Your scholarly and creative investigations and works contribute to your exam portfolio.
Selected research articles and multimodal texts/works that represent the wealth of ecocritical thinking and environmental writing/artmaking; guest talks/field trips by environmental humanists, scientists, activists; masterclasses with invited artists. IMPORTANT: please note the hands-on format of this course requires regular participation in workshop activities – we create in class; therefore, you cannot make up for your absences by merely reading texts at home.
The course is open to all students across the University of
Copenhagen as an MA elective.
ENGEROM: Studerende indskrevet på Kandidatuddannelsen i engelsk kan
bruge kurset til Frit Emne 1, 2 og 3, som en del af studiemønstret
Writing in English (tilvalg).
Er din kandidatstudieordning fra 2019 eller senere?
Du skal tilmelde dig kandidattilvalg i Selvbetjeningen.
Er din kandidatstudieordning fra 2018 eller tidligere?
Du skal tilmelde dig kandidattilvalg via en elektronisk blanket. Blanketten er kun tilgængelig i selvbetjeningsperioderne.
Link til KA-tilvalgsblanket (ordinær tilmelding)
Link til KA-tilvalgsblanket (eftertilmelding)
Studerende fra andre fakulteter/universiteter kan finde vejledning og ansøgningsskema her.
Exchange students: apply for courses in Mobility Online. Questions regarding course registration should be directed to visitingstudents@hum.ku.dk .
International fee-paying guest students: visithttps://humanities.ku.dk/education/guest/ on how to sign up for courses.
- ECTS
- 15 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Portfolio, A joint portfolio uploaded in digital exam: Deadline January 5th 2026
- Type of assessment details
- Portfolio details:
• literature review based on at least 3 sources outside assigned reading (ca. 3 pages);
• samples of your work-in-progress (ca. 11 pages);
• feedback on your peers’ drafts (ca. 3 pages);
• synopsis for the presentation of your individual project/work-in-progress and reflection on the presentation (ca. 2 pages);
• essay discussing your development as an ecocritical thinker and environmental communicator (ca. 4 pages). - Aid
- All aids allowed
Criteria for exam assessment
http://hum.ku.dk/uddannelser/aktuelle_studieordninger/engelsk/
http://hum.ku.dk/uddannelser/aktuelle_studieordninger/fransk/
http://hum.ku.dk/uddannelser/aktuelle_studieordninger/italiensk/
http://hum.ku.dk/uddannelser/aktuelle_studieordninger/portugisisk/
http://hum.ku.dk/uddannelser/aktuelle_studieordninger/spansk/
http://hum.ku.dk/uddannelser/aktuelle_studieordninger/tysk/
Single subject courses (day)
- Category
- Hours
- Class Instruction
- 56
- Preparation
- 353,5
- English
- 409,5
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- HEGRKE251U
- ECTS
- 15 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
Full Degree Master choice
- Duration
-
1 semester
- Placement
- Autumn
- 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 Coordinator
- Elzbieta Jolanta Wójcik-Leese (3-687a6f436b7870316e7831676e)
Are you BA- or KA-student?
Courseinformation of students