EL5007 - Literature and Identity

You will be taught via two 1.5 hour weekly sessions, which will include lecture and seminar components. The weighting of lecture versus seminar will vary week-on-week depending on the texts and topics under discussion. Lecture components will supply key contextual information and introduce relevant theoretical and literary concepts. Seminar components will give you the opportunity to discuss and reflect critically on ideas presented in the lectures, and in doing so develop your own critical responses to the texts. Seminars will also help in the development of your intellectual, practical and transferable skills.

In addition to learning during contact hours, you will be expected to undertake both directed and independent learning. Directed learning will take the form of preparation for seminars (including both reading and the preparation of critical responses to the studied topics) either individually or in small groups. Your independent learning generally will take the form of further reading and research in preparation for your presentation and essay, the consolidation of seminar materials and the completion of the assessment.

Your week-on-week learning will be supported by lecture slides made available via the e-learning portal and handouts with study questions provided by the tutors in advance to help you prepare each week’s seminar. You will meet the module tutor for at least one one-on-one tutorial to discuss an essay plan, and you will be strongly encouraged to see your tutor in their weekly consultation and feedback hours as often as you feel will benefit your work. The module will make appropriate use of the VLE to provide you with module material, links to resources and discussion areas. The feedback you will receive on formative and summative work is detailed and emphasises existing strengths of your writing and communication skills as well as room for further improvement. In addition, you can take advantage of a wide range of research and essay writing skills resources, including face-to-face sessions, offered by the library as part of their Skills Plus programme.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. In-depth knowledge of key literary treatments of identity
2. An appreciation of the significance of context, and the ability to relate relevant historical and social context to literary texts

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
3. The ability to incorporate theoretical ideas into the analysis of literary texts
4. The ability to present analysis in written and oral forms, exhibiting key transferable skills.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
5. Understanding of sensitive ethical issues surrounding identity politics, including sexism, racism and body politics.

Oral presentation (30%)
The oral presentation assesses Module Learning Outcomes 3., 4. and 5. in particular, as it provides you with an opportunity to offer your own insights into key critical debates while also encouraging you to engage with and respond to the work of your peers. Many students find it difficult to contribute to seminar discussion and a formal and assessed presentation is one way of providing these students with a more structured format. The oral presentation further gives you practice in key employability skills (verbal communication skills and the use of audio-visual aids).

2,500 word essay (70%)
The essay assesses Module Learning Outcomes 1., 2., 3. and 4. in particular by enabling you to explore texts covered on the module in depth and to engage with key critical concepts and cultural contexts explored on the module.

Feedback from the first assignment will inform your preparation of the second. Ongoing formative feedback will take place within the seminars as part of the continual discursive process of group analysis of the texts, themes and issues.

Feedback will be provided in typed form with additional verbal or handwritten comments, and you will be invited to discuss your individual feedback with the module tutor in a one-on-one tutorial.

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This module explores how identity is represented as a plural and intersectional concept in a range of different literary texts. We consider factors such as nation, religion, gender or race and their contribution to our sense of identity, and we also think about the role of literature in contemporary debates about so-called identity politics. We will discuss texts in various genres (fiction, poetry, prose, film) and you will also be able to choose and explore your own examples of texts for one of your assessments on this module, the oral presentation.