Models of literary-cultural interpretation in English-speaking countries

• Students will get acquainted with the main Anglo-American schools of literary criticism in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
• Students will get acquainted with the social and ideological context that has given rise to the different approaches to literary theory.
• Students will clarify concepts and methods in Anglo-American literary theory through their application to the analysis of literary and cultural texts from the Anglophone world.

Brief survey of the main schools of literary and cultural criticism and of their application to the analysis of literary and cultural production in the Anglophone world. This course will present a selection of critical perspectives in order to approach issues such as: the debate about the “classical heritage”, historiography and the canon; the development of the various critical schools ranging from New Criticism, Russian Formalism, Structuralism and Narratology to Post-Structuralism, Psychoanalysis, Marxist theories, Cultural Materialism, New Historicism, Feminist Criticism, Gender Studies, and more recent approaches such as Multiculturalism, Ethnocriticism, Postcolonial Studies, Diaspora and Transnationalism and, finally, Ecocriticism.

Basic:
Cuddon, J. A. The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. London: Penguin Books, 2014.
Selden, Raman. Practising Theory and Reading Literature. An Introduction. New York: Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1989.
Waugh, Patricia, ed. Literary Theory and Criticism : An Oxford Guide. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.

Complementary:
Bloom, Harold. The Western Canon: The Books and School of the Ages. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1995.
Brydon, Diana, ed. Postcolonialism: Critical Concepts in Literary and Cultural Studies. London and New York: Routledge, cop. 2000.
Eagleton, Terry and Drew Milne, Eds. Marxist Literary Theory: A Reader. Oxford: Blackwell, 1996.
Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory: An Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell, 1996.
Frassinelli, Pier Paolo, Ronit Frenkel, and David Watson, Eds. Traversing Transnationalism: The Horizons of Literary and Cultural Studies. Amsterdam and New York, NY : Rodopi, 2011.
Glotfelty, Cheryll, and Harold Fromm, Eds. The Ecocriticism Reader: Landmarks in Literary Ecology. Athens (Georgia): The University of Georgia Press, cop. 1996.
Green, Keith and Jill LeBiham. Critical Theory and Practice: A Coursebook. London and New York: Routledge, 2012.
Kurzweil, Edith and William Phillips, Eds. Literature and Psychoanalysis. New York: Columbia University Press, 1983.
Marzec, Robert T. An Ecological and Postcolonial Study of Literature. From Daniel Defoe to Salman Rushdie. London: Palgrave, 2007.
Onega, Susana & José A. García Landa. Narratology: An Introduction. London: Longman, 1996.
Rice, Philip and Patricia Waugh, Eds. Modern Literary Theory: A Reader. London: Arnold, 2001.
Rooney, Ellen, Ed. The Cambridge Companion to Feminist Literary Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006.

Competences (“Memoria do Máster Interuniversitario en Estudios Ingleses Avanzados e as Súas Aplicacións, 2ª edición", pp. 6-7: http://www.imaes.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/MEMORIA_ANEXOS-I-II.pdf)

General:
CB6 - To possess and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity to be original in the development and / or explanation of ideas, often in a research context.
CB8 - That students are able to integrate knowledge and face the complexity of formulating judgments based on information that, being incomplete or limited, includes reflections on the social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments.
CB9 - That students are able to communicate their conclusions and the knowledge and ultimate reasons that support them to specialized and non-specialized audiences in a clear and unambiguous way.
G01 - Ability to delve into those concepts, principles, theories or models related to the various areas of English Studies, as well as to become familiar with the methodology required to solve those problems typical of this field of study.
G04 - Ability to present experiences, ideas or reports in public, as well as to express informed opinions based on criteria, external rules or personal reflections, for which a sufficient command of the academic and scientific language, both written and oral, will be necessary.
G05 - Abilities to investigate and manage new knowledge and information within the context of English Studies.
G06 - Ability to acquire/achieve critical thinking that will lead students to consider the relevance of the existing research in the fields of study that make up/shape/define English Studies, as well as the relevance of their own investigations.
G08 - Progressive autonomy in the learning process, personal/individual search for resources and information, by getting access/accessing (to) bibliographical and documentary references on the various areas that make up/define/shape English Studies.

Specific
E09 - Knowledge of the main models and resources of literary/cultural research in the anglophone world.
E11 - Capacity to identify and analyse the most relevant features of the anglophone culture and institutions through texts belonging to different historical periods.
E12 - Capacity to understand different theoretical and critical approaches as well as their application for the analysis of different literary and cultural texts in the anglophone world.
E13 - Knowledge of the relationships between the main artistic and literary manifestations in the anglophone world.

Introductory talks to each school of criticism delivered by the professors.
Daily assignments for the students to present in class and debates in the group on the basis of a number of assigned readings.
Virtual tasks will be carried out through Teams.
Final written paper handed in by students before the deadline proposed by the professors.
This methodology aims at practising both oral and written skills, as well as enhancing both individual and collaborative work.
Debates and oral presentations will pursue the critical understanding of cultural and literary theories as well as open-mindedness and receptiveness to critical approaches different from our own. During the course students will prepare and comment on topics through the course webpage.
The final written paper has as its main objective the proper use of scholarly tools and practices: originality, correct use of bibliographical material and other sources of information, proper presentation of a written essay that follows all the structural and formal academic requirements.

1st Opportunity:
Daily assignments 30% (Assessed competences: CB6, CB9, G01, G04, G05, G06, G08, E09, E11, E12, E13)
Participation in debates in class: 20% (Assessed competences: CB8, G06, E09, E11, E12, E13)
Final written paper: 50% (Assessed competences: CB6, CB9, G01, G04, G05, G06, G08, E09, E11, E12, E13)

The following aspects will be taken into account for the assessment of this course: Written and oral skills in English, capacity to articulate a hypothesis and its discussion, class attendance and participation in class.

2nd Opportunity:
Students who do not pass in the first opportunity will be able to re-sit in July (UDC, USC) or September (UVigo) —date to be agreed upon with the lecturer(s)— when they will be required to demonstrate that they have acquired the skills for each module via two types of assessment: a supervised project with the same percentage value and characteristics as in the first opportunity, plus the exercises agreed upon with the lecturer(s) as a substitute for the other activities of the module.

Exemption from attendance:
The students officially exempted from class attendance will present a final written paper that will count 100 % of the final mark.

For cases of fraudulent conduct in exercises or exams, the USC "Normativa de avaliación do rendemento académico dos estudantes e de revisión de cualificacións" will apply to USC students.

a) Total number of hours= 121
b) Class hours (maximum) = 21
c) Virtual platform (maximum) = 24
d) Student’s individual work= 76

Class attendance is obligatory.

Students' active participation in class debates will be part of their assessment.

Total familiarity with the MLA style sheet is expected for written papers.

In accordance with article 9.2.a of the USC Student Statute and article 36 of the Organic Law of the University System, the use of electronic devices (mobile phones, tablets, computers, etc.) is not authorized in the lectures and seminars except when expressly authorized by the professor.