ENG: Aktuelle perspektiver på den engelsktalende verden

Current Perspectives on the Anglophone World provides an introduction to the cultural history of the Anglophone world since 1945, with a particular focus on both British and American domestic and international perspectives. It builds on the foundations that are established in the first semester module, Presenting the Past: The History of the English-Speaking World. Current Perspectives is structured around key thematic clusters, each of which explores significant non-fiction works and associated media forms, including film, television, video games, radio broadcasts, etc. Students will engage with a range of historical, political, and cultural debates, tracing how these discussions have evolved through different media and intellectual traditions. By critically examining contemporary perspectives on politics, pop culture, society, science, and religion, students will develop a nuanced understanding of how these forces shape public discourse and collective identities and memories.

Scope

Current perspectives encourages interdisciplinary thinking, drawing on history, literary studies, text production, and media analysis. Through the study of pivotal non-fiction texts alongside visual and digital media, students will reflect on the role of cultural production in shaping societal values and ideological frameworks. The module will also emphasize the ways in which different forms of media engage with contemporary historical and political events, constructing narratives that influence public perception and academic discourse alike.

On completion of this module, students will develop a foundational understanding of key themes in contemporary cultural history, particularly in British and American contexts. They will analyse major non-fiction works and their relationship to broader political, social, and cultural developments. Critical engagement with a range of media—including film, television, digital platforms—will enable them to explore the role of cultural discourse in shaping public thought. Students will gain insight into the historical and ideological contexts that inform contemporary debates in politics, science, religion, and popular culture. Additionally, they will develop skills in interdisciplinary analysis, drawing from history, literary studies, and media criticism, while enhancing their ability to articulate critical arguments in both written and oral forms. Methodological approaches from cultural history, digital humanities, and media studies will be applied to contemporary texts and artifacts, fostering an understanding of how historical context shapes meaning.

Through a combination of lectures, seminars, and media screenings, students will be encouraged to think critically about the relationship between cultural production and political discourse. Current Perspectives will serve as a foundation for further study in cultural history, textual and literary analysis, digital humanities, and media studies within the broader framework of English Studies.