The objective of this course will be to introduce students to the core topics, themes, and argumentative methods of postcolonial literary readings. Students will also learn to make the transition from secondary school-level writing assignments and ones at the university level. These are some of the topics this course will cover: the relationship between colonialism, imperialism and postcolonialism; literary representations of the experience of colonial domination as well as of the formulation of postcolonial identities; writerly preoccupations with issues pertaining to racial difference, cultural particularity, the tension between modern and indigenous ways of knowing, and gender equality; and postcolonial frameworks of reading and analysis.
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Understand the relationship between imperialism, colonialism, and postcolonialism as well as the bodies of literature that provide us with a deeper understanding of this relationship.
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Study the development of postcolonial literature as a field by paying careful attention to the key idea and methods that distinguish the field from others.
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Learn to appreciate the cultural, linguistic, and generic differences that postcolonial methods of reading provide insight into.
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Gain preliminary knowledge of the major frameworks of analysis and reading in the field of postcolonial literature.
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Tackle writing assignments that will enable students to further their own critical reading and analysis of literary texts in the postcolonial canon.
This is a List-B course, so it is not a lecture-centered course. Students must come prepared to engage in class discussion, respond to impromptu reading quizzes, and complete worksheets in class. Attendance is mandatory.
100% by coursework
Attendance 20% (10% attendance, 10% in class activities)
In-class essay exams (2 exams in total, 25% each): 50%
Final Close Reading Paper: 30%
Since this is an introductory course, there will be more historical and literary readings than there will be theoretical ones. The goal is to introduce students to a wide range of core topics so that they can build the necessary foundation for tackling theoretical concepts in advanced courses. Histories of and introductions to the field and its concerns will be drawn from the work of scholars such as Robert J C Young, Leela Gandhi, Ania Loomba, and Simon Gikandi. Literary readings will be chosen from the works of writers such as Jean Rhys, Jamaica Kincaid, Edwidge Danticat, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Salman Rushdie, Mahasweta Devi, M. NourbeSe Phillip, and Zadie Smith. Please note that this is not a final or complete list of authors.