General provisions

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

Entry requirements

English C or 90 credits in a language subject or in comparative literature

Learning outcomes

Upon completing the course students will be able to:

• apply the anthropological theory of symbolic exchange to literary texts
• show competence in advanced literary analysis
• show a knowledge of the history of English literature from the 16th century to the present, including an appreciation of how different genres have been suited to explore social life
• debate critiques of social and economic life that are explored in a range of literary texts
• demonstrate abilities in organising and evaluating texts and the information, concepts and arguments they represent

Content

The course begins by exploring theories of gift-giving and economic exchange as developed by twentieth-century social and psychological theorists, and adapted in poststructuralist theory, especially in the work of Jean Baudrillard. It then explores a range of English literary texts, with an emphasis on representations of hospitality, exchange, celebration and vindication, along with critiques of prejudice, greed and inequality. Key writers include Aphra Behn, Charles Dickens, Harold Pinter and Samuel Beckett. Students will study creative works from the three periods of modern production stipulated by Baudrillard (the early modern, the modern, and the postmodern) with a view to understanding the development of symbolic exchange in relation to the social history of England. Students will produce an independent research project on one or more texts based on the theory of symbolic exchange.

Instruction

Group sessions with individual tutorials on the research project. Instruction, class discussions, and examinations are in English. All teaching materials are in English.

Assessment

Students are examined continuously based on a combination of oral and written assignments. 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.

Other regulations

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.

Transitional provisions

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