Syllabus for Book History and Material Culture

Decisions and guidelines

The course is included in the Master's Programme in English.

Learning outcomes

Upon completing the course students will be able to

• show understanding of contemporary critical theories and methods in literary studies and the study of material culture
• show familiarity with a range of key works and terms in the history of the book
• demonstrate skills in conducting independent research in literary studies
• show proficiency in the use of critical material in a written literary analysis
• show a good ability to participate, orally and in writing, in a discussion of literary works in fluent English.

Content

The proliferation of digitized books in the present moment represents the latest stage of a centuries-long transformation of the production, distribution, and reading of books. This course will situate the rise of digital texts in relation to the material histories of books and their readerships as well as to key theoretical works on media networks and literary production. Students will engage with a range of topics within the multidisciplinary field of book history, including publishing history, media theory, textual history, authorship and intellectual property, and the symbolic economy of literary value.

Instruction

Group sessions. Instruction, class discussions, and examinations are in English. All teaching materials are in English.

Assessment

Assessment takes the form of a final exam in the form of an essay at the end of the course. The final essay may be replaced by, or complemented with, alternative assessment elements, such as shorter essays assigned during the course, journals, or portfolios. Grades are fail, pass, or pass with distinction.

Students who fail a regular examination will be offered a make-up examination within a reasonable period of time after the regular examination.

Students who fail an examination twice have the right to apply to the head of the department for permission to change examiners or examination forms. If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.

Transitional provisions

Please contact the student counsellor for transitional regulations in connection with changes in the curriculum.

Other directives

If the curriculum or the course literature for a course module is changed, students have the right to be examined on the original curriculum and course literature on three occasions during the following three terms. After these three opportunities, the right normally expires. No other limitations apply regarding the number of examination opportunities.