Students

ENGL207 – World Literature in English

2017 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Alys Moody
Marcelle Freiman
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
ENGL120
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
Although we often study literature within narrow national and linguistic traditions, literature as it’s read outside of universities is much more free-wheeling, moving readily through space and time, and across different literary traditions. World literature - the study of literature that circulates outside the country in which it was originally written - tries to capture this sense of literature in motion. It explores how texts have been read and re-read in new contexts, and how literature has become an interconnected global system. This unit will examine a selection of texts from across the globe, asking: how do different literary traditions relate to each other? How do recent debates about globalisation change the age-old process of world literature? How have colonisation and decolonisation shaped world literature and brought new traditions into contact with each other? Does it matter if we read texts in translation, rather than in their original language?

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Analyse and compare literary texts across a range of genres, including poetry, the novel, the epic, drama, and the graphic novel, using a sound critical vocabulary and scholarly research
  • Explain the concept of “world literature,” showing a familiarity with current scholarly debates around this approach to the study of literature
  • Analyse literary texts within their original context of production
  • Analyse how literary texts can be read within our contemporary context, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of “presentist” reading practice
  • Analyse how scholars and writers have appropriated, re-read and rewritten earlier literary texts in new contexts
  • Explain and analyse the effects of reading literature in translation
  • Develop well-reasoned arguments about literary texts, and support these arguments orally and in writing

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Unit Participation 20% No Ongoing
Short Essay 30% No 21 April, 2017
World Literature Now 50% No 10 June, 2017

Unit Participation

Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 20%

Contribution to the learning environment of the unit, via tutorial participation and engagement with your partner.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and compare literary texts across a range of genres, including poetry, the novel, the epic, drama, and the graphic novel, using a sound critical vocabulary and scholarly research
  • Explain the concept of “world literature,” showing a familiarity with current scholarly debates around this approach to the study of literature
  • Analyse literary texts within their original context of production
  • Analyse how literary texts can be read within our contemporary context, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of “presentist” reading practice
  • Analyse how scholars and writers have appropriated, re-read and rewritten earlier literary texts in new contexts
  • Explain and analyse the effects of reading literature in translation
  • Develop well-reasoned arguments about literary texts, and support these arguments orally and in writing

Short Essay

Due: 21 April, 2017
Weighting: 30%

Short 1200-word essay, analysing how one of our texts has been re-read or adapted for a new context.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and compare literary texts across a range of genres, including poetry, the novel, the epic, drama, and the graphic novel, using a sound critical vocabulary and scholarly research
  • Explain the concept of “world literature,” showing a familiarity with current scholarly debates around this approach to the study of literature
  • Analyse literary texts within their original context of production
  • Analyse how scholars and writers have appropriated, re-read and rewritten earlier literary texts in new contexts
  • Develop well-reasoned arguments about literary texts, and support these arguments orally and in writing

World Literature Now

Due: 10 June, 2017
Weighting: 50%

Write a creative or critical piece that appropriates one of the texts studied on this unit for our contemporary context; and write a short reflective essay analysing your response in relation to debates about world literature


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and compare literary texts across a range of genres, including poetry, the novel, the epic, drama, and the graphic novel, using a sound critical vocabulary and scholarly research
  • Explain the concept of “world literature,” showing a familiarity with current scholarly debates around this approach to the study of literature
  • Analyse how literary texts can be read within our contemporary context, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of “presentist” reading practice
  • Analyse how scholars and writers have appropriated, re-read and rewritten earlier literary texts in new contexts
  • Develop well-reasoned arguments about literary texts, and support these arguments orally and in writing

Delivery and Resources

This unit will be taught as one hour of lecture and one hour of tutorial per week.

Students should arrange to purchase the following texts:

  • The Epic of Gilgamesh
  • William Shakespeare, The Tempest
  • Elena Ferrante, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay
  • Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis

Additional readings will be available through the iLearn site and MultiSearch.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse and compare literary texts across a range of genres, including poetry, the novel, the epic, drama, and the graphic novel, using a sound critical vocabulary and scholarly research
  • Explain the concept of “world literature,” showing a familiarity with current scholarly debates around this approach to the study of literature
  • Analyse literary texts within their original context of production
  • Analyse how literary texts can be read within our contemporary context, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of “presentist” reading practice
  • Analyse how scholars and writers have appropriated, re-read and rewritten earlier literary texts in new contexts
  • Explain and analyse the effects of reading literature in translation
  • Develop well-reasoned arguments about literary texts, and support these arguments orally and in writing

Assessment tasks

  • Unit Participation
  • Short Essay
  • World Literature Now

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse and compare literary texts across a range of genres, including poetry, the novel, the epic, drama, and the graphic novel, using a sound critical vocabulary and scholarly research
  • Explain the concept of “world literature,” showing a familiarity with current scholarly debates around this approach to the study of literature
  • Analyse literary texts within their original context of production
  • Analyse how literary texts can be read within our contemporary context, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of “presentist” reading practice
  • Analyse how scholars and writers have appropriated, re-read and rewritten earlier literary texts in new contexts
  • Explain and analyse the effects of reading literature in translation
  • Develop well-reasoned arguments about literary texts, and support these arguments orally and in writing

Assessment tasks

  • Unit Participation
  • Short Essay
  • World Literature Now

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explain the concept of “world literature,” showing a familiarity with current scholarly debates around this approach to the study of literature
  • Analyse how literary texts can be read within our contemporary context, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of “presentist” reading practice
  • Analyse how scholars and writers have appropriated, re-read and rewritten earlier literary texts in new contexts
  • Develop well-reasoned arguments about literary texts, and support these arguments orally and in writing

Assessment tasks

  • Unit Participation
  • Short Essay
  • World Literature Now

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse and compare literary texts across a range of genres, including poetry, the novel, the epic, drama, and the graphic novel, using a sound critical vocabulary and scholarly research
  • Explain the concept of “world literature,” showing a familiarity with current scholarly debates around this approach to the study of literature
  • Analyse literary texts within their original context of production
  • Analyse how literary texts can be read within our contemporary context, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of “presentist” reading practice
  • Analyse how scholars and writers have appropriated, re-read and rewritten earlier literary texts in new contexts
  • Explain and analyse the effects of reading literature in translation
  • Develop well-reasoned arguments about literary texts, and support these arguments orally and in writing

Assessment tasks

  • Unit Participation
  • Short Essay
  • World Literature Now

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse and compare literary texts across a range of genres, including poetry, the novel, the epic, drama, and the graphic novel, using a sound critical vocabulary and scholarly research
  • Explain the concept of “world literature,” showing a familiarity with current scholarly debates around this approach to the study of literature
  • Analyse literary texts within their original context of production
  • Analyse how literary texts can be read within our contemporary context, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of “presentist” reading practice
  • Analyse how scholars and writers have appropriated, re-read and rewritten earlier literary texts in new contexts
  • Explain and analyse the effects of reading literature in translation
  • Develop well-reasoned arguments about literary texts, and support these arguments orally and in writing

Assessment tasks

  • Unit Participation
  • Short Essay
  • World Literature Now

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse and compare literary texts across a range of genres, including poetry, the novel, the epic, drama, and the graphic novel, using a sound critical vocabulary and scholarly research
  • Explain the concept of “world literature,” showing a familiarity with current scholarly debates around this approach to the study of literature
  • Analyse literary texts within their original context of production
  • Analyse how literary texts can be read within our contemporary context, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of “presentist” reading practice
  • Analyse how scholars and writers have appropriated, re-read and rewritten earlier literary texts in new contexts
  • Explain and analyse the effects of reading literature in translation
  • Develop well-reasoned arguments about literary texts, and support these arguments orally and in writing

Assessment tasks

  • Unit Participation
  • Short Essay
  • World Literature Now

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse and compare literary texts across a range of genres, including poetry, the novel, the epic, drama, and the graphic novel, using a sound critical vocabulary and scholarly research
  • Explain the concept of “world literature,” showing a familiarity with current scholarly debates around this approach to the study of literature
  • Analyse literary texts within their original context of production
  • Analyse how literary texts can be read within our contemporary context, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of “presentist” reading practice
  • Analyse how scholars and writers have appropriated, re-read and rewritten earlier literary texts in new contexts
  • Explain and analyse the effects of reading literature in translation
  • Develop well-reasoned arguments about literary texts, and support these arguments orally and in writing

Assessment tasks

  • Unit Participation
  • Short Essay
  • World Literature Now

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explain the concept of “world literature,” showing a familiarity with current scholarly debates around this approach to the study of literature
  • Analyse literary texts within their original context of production
  • Analyse how literary texts can be read within our contemporary context, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of “presentist” reading practice
  • Analyse how scholars and writers have appropriated, re-read and rewritten earlier literary texts in new contexts
  • Explain and analyse the effects of reading literature in translation
  • Develop well-reasoned arguments about literary texts, and support these arguments orally and in writing

Assessment tasks

  • Unit Participation
  • Short Essay
  • World Literature Now

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explain the concept of “world literature,” showing a familiarity with current scholarly debates around this approach to the study of literature
  • Analyse literary texts within their original context of production
  • Analyse how literary texts can be read within our contemporary context, and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of “presentist” reading practice
  • Analyse how scholars and writers have appropriated, re-read and rewritten earlier literary texts in new contexts
  • Explain and analyse the effects of reading literature in translation
  • Develop well-reasoned arguments about literary texts, and support these arguments orally and in writing

Assessment tasks

  • Unit Participation
  • Short Essay
  • World Literature Now