Course overview
Moving beyond historical frameworks in literary studies such as postcolonial theory, this course advances students understanding of various decolonial perspectives, building situated knowledges using stories as method of inquiry, where form substantially shapes the content and possibility of political engagement. Drawing on concepts such as pluriversality, voice, perspective, relationality, entanglement, and otherness in the context of post human perspectives, and mythopoesis, among others, this course provides diverse decolonial perspectives as central to the study of English literature. It also exposes students to a variety of literary traditions, methods, primary texts and genres established in Africa, South America, Australia and the Pacific and empowers them to take part in major debates about cultural value, form, interpretation, and reception while also facilitating the acquisition of skills in literary analysis, argumentation, and evaluation. The course draws on leading literary thinkers such as Achille Mbembe, Homi BhaBha, Maria Pia Lara and Epeli Hauofa, among others to bring a rich tapestry of works by award-winning, contemporary (1966-present) creative writers from around the globe, into clearer focus.
Course learning outcomes
- Read, interpret, and contextualise a range of literary texts from various traditions in decolonial literatures in English
- Generate critical analyses and essays about a range of decolonial literary texts in English, using internationally recognised conventions of expository and critical prose and paying close attention to the text’s genre and formal qualities and contexts of construction, production and reception
- Identify, discuss and apply appropriate concepts and formal literary techniques of writing in decolonial literatures to an appropriate range of literary texts from decolonial contexts around the world
- Identify, discuss and interpret major genres in decolonial literatures: long-form fictions, experimental fiction, verse novel, short story, graphic novel, poetry; song, satire drama, essay, speculative fiction climate fiction and magic realism
- Demonstrate awareness of the major debates, issues and perspectives in decolonial literary criticism and theory
- Situate the Australian literary tradition in relation to southern theory, post colonialism, decoloniality and the posthuman