Undergraduate Course: POSTCOLONIAL AFRICAN LITERATURE IN PORTUGUESE (ordinary) (ELCH09021)
Course Outline
School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 9 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
Summary | This course will introduce major topics in Lusophone African Literature and Culture from the colonial period (still under Portuguese rule) until Cape Verde, Angola and Mozambique¿s independence between 1974 and 1975. A wide-ranging selection of novels and short stories will be studied in the context of historical and political events. Particular attention will be paid to the following themes: nation-building, colonialism and post-colonialism; race and regionalism; gender and sexuality; revolution and ideology. These topics will allow the student to think and write comparatively, and to combine detailed textual analysis with theoretical debate and a consideration of historical and cultural factors. Background information and relevant aspects of critical theory will be examined during seminars. The course runs for two hours per week for 11 weeks. Classes will be a mixture of lecture, seminar and student-led discussion. |
Course description |
Week 1 Introduction
Week 2 What is Postcolonial literature?
Week 3 Race in Cape Verde: Baltasar Lopes, Chiquinho (1947)
Week 4 (Post)colonial resistance in the Empire (I) Angola: Castro Soromenho, Terra Morta (1949)
Week 5 (Post)colonial resistance in the Empire (II) Mozambique: Luís Bernardo Honwana, Nós Matámos o Cão-Tinhoso (1964)
Week 6 The colonial war: Pepetela, Mayombe (1979)
Week 7 The birth of a country (I) Mozambique: Mia Couto, Terra Sonâmbula (1992)
Week 8 The birth of a country (II) Angola: José Eduardo Agualusa, Estação das Chuvas (1992)
Week 9 Modernity & Social Critique in Cape Verde: Germano Almeida, O Testamento do Senhor Napumoceno (1989)
Week 10 Gender, sexuality & resistance: Paulina Chiziane, Niketche ¿ uma história de poligamia (2002)
Week 11 Conclusions and revision
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Additional Costs | Students must purchase copies of the set texts |
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisites | In order to be eligible to take 4th Year Options, Visiting Students should have the equivalent of at least two years of study at University level of the appropriate language(s) and culture(s). |
High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the major themes and trends in Lusophone-African cultural expression from the colonial period until independence and post-colonial times.
- Students will be able to show awareness of the variety and diversity of Lusophone African culture as it is expressed in Literature.
- Students will be able to demonstrate their improved skills of literary criticism and theoretical analysis.
- Students will be able to enhance their writing and presentation skills through a variety of techniques, from essay writing to seminar presentations.
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Reading List
Compulsory:
Baltasar Lopes, Chiquinho (1947)
Castro Soromenho, Terra Morta (1949)
Luis Bernardo Honwana, Nos Matamos o Cao-Tinhoso (1964)
Pepetela, Mayombe (1979)
Mia Couto, Terra sonambula (1992)
Jose Eduardo Agualusa, Estacao das Chuvas (1992)
Germano Almeida, O testamento do Senhor Napumoceno (1989)
Paulina Chiziane, Niketche - uma historia de poligamia (2002)
Recommended:
Phillip rothwell (ed.), Re-evaluating Mozambique (Portuguese Literary and cultural Studies)
Phillip Rothwell (ed.) Remembering Angola (Portuguese Literary and Cultural Studies)
Phillip Rothwell, A Postmodern Nationalist: Truth, Orality, and Gender in the work of Mia Couto
Ana Mafalda Leite, Hilary Owen, Rita Chaves, Livia Apa (eds) Narrating the Postcolonial Nation: Mapping Angola and Mozambique
Hilary Owen, Mother Africa, Father Marx
Patrick Chabal (ed.) Postcolonial Liteerrature of Lisophone Africa.
Patrick Chabal (ed.) A History of Postcolonial Lusophone Africa
Bill Ahscroft, The Empire Writes Back: Theory and Practice in Post-colonial Literatures
Bill Ahscroft, Gareth Griffiths and Helen Tiffin, Post-colonial Studies: the key concepts
Fernando Arenas, Lusophone Arica: Beyond Independence |
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
Course organiser | Dr Rosane Carneiro Ramos
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Kat Zabecka
Tel: (0131 6)50 4026
Email: |
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