Introductory seminar course: European Colonialism in African Fiction - Details

Introductory seminar course: European Colonialism in African Fiction - Details

General information

Course name Introductory seminar course: European Colonialism in African Fiction
Semester SS 2024
Current number of participants 12
maximum number of participants 25
Home institute Neuere Englische Literaturen und Kulturwissenschaft
Courses type Introductory seminar course in category Teaching
First date Thursday, 18.04.24, 11:45 - 13:15 o'clock D, 1087
Veranstaltung findet in Präsenz statt / hat Präsenz-Bestandteile Yes
Hauptunterrichtssprache englisch

Rooms and times

D, 1087, Zoom

  • Thursday, 11:45 - 13:15, Weekly (from 18.04.24)

Module assignments

Comment/Description

Against the backdrop of the history of European colonialisms in Africa, we will examine two recent Anglophone novels focusing on German colonialism in East Africa in the early 20th century and on the resistance to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in the 1930s. Close analyses of the novels’ disparate genres, modes and representational approaches will be accompanied by input presentations on the different historical contexts as well as discussions of colonial amnesia across Europe vis-à-vis current demands to actively confront and engage with this history. Please buy the following novels and make sure to read ahead!
Abdulrazak Gurnah, Afterlives (2020)
Maaza Mengiste, The Shadow King (2019)
Further course materials will be made available via Digicampus.
Postcolonial literature engages with the process of emancipation from the colonising forces, nation-building, as well as the issues imperialism had left in its wake. This course examines the theoretical concept of ‘writing back’, i.e. finding a voice that speaks back to the empire in the sense of reclaiming history and culture, as well as challenging the notion of who gets to define nationhood and belonging. The course examines the width of the postcolonial discourse through the analysis of theoretical text, as well as the novels that directly write back to the Empire, challenging its knowledge structures.
The students should acquire and read the following novels:
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Efuru by Flora Nwapa
The Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Other materials will be provided.
Please note that for the modules EAS-1411 and EAS-1414, this seminar has to be combined with the Ü in Narrative Analysis by either Ankita Dolai or Corvin Bittner!

Admission settings

The course is part of admission "ALW/ELW/NELK: Aufbaumodul BA/LA: PS".
Studierende der Anglistik/Amerikanistik und des Faches Englisch können sich bereits während der vorgezogenen Anmeldephase zur Sicherstellung des Studienfortschritts für die Aufbau- und Vertiefungsmodule anmelden. Hierzu wird ein gewisses Kontingent der Kursplätze im Zeitraum vom 19.02.2024 bis 28.02.2024 für die Anmeldung geöffnet. Die Verteilung der Plätze erfolgt am 25.02.2024. Bitte beachten Sie, dass in dieser Anmeldephase Studierende in höheren Fachsemestern bei der Verteilung der Plätze priorisiert werden.
Die allgemeine Anmeldephase beginnt am 04.03.2024 und endet am 08.04.2024.
The following rules apply for the admission:
  • Enrolment is allowed for up to 1 courses of the admission set.
  • The enrolment is possible from 04.03.2024, 08:00 to 05.04.2024, 12:00.
  • A defined number of seats will be assigned to these courses.
    The seats in the affected courses have been assigned at 08.04.2024 on 13:00. Additional seats may be available via a waiting list.
Assignment of courses: