| CODE | ENG2040 | ||||||
| TITLE | Theories of Literature 6: Poststructuralism and Since | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 2 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | English | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This unit provides an overview of some of the most important aspects of poststructuralist thought. It starts by assessing the reaction to structuralism in the late 1960s, explains the distinctions concerning postmodernism and then moves up to recent trends in literary criticism in order to study how poststructuralism may itself have been overturned while yet consolidating its position as a vital aspect of theoretical thought. The work of figures like Roland Barthes,Jacques Derrida, Maurice Blanchot, Helene Cixous and Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe will feature to different extents, while recent work by Jean-Luc Nancy, Bernard Stiegler, Jacques Ranciere and Alain Badiou may also figure. This Parisian angle to the unit is modulated throughout by consideration of three factors: firstly, the rise of posthumanism as a paradigm that both counters and builds on poststructuralism; secondly the reception and transformation of French poststructuralism in Anglo-American critical contexts; thirdly, the rise of new schools of criticism, among them new materialism and speculative realism and a resurgence of evaluative criticism and biohistoricism. Finally, the unit offers some reflections on the current situation within literary criticism and theory. Study-unit Aims: (1) To clarify the distinctions between structuralism, postmodernism, poststructuralism and posthumanism. (2) To offer a compact introduction to poststructuralist thought. (3) To introduce students to some of the most salient poststructuralist texts and trends within literary theory. (4) To offer reflections on how literary criticism and theory has responded to the heyday of poststructuralist thought. (5) To provide some awareness of post-2005 trends within literary criticism and theory. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: (1) Attend to the distinctions between structuralism, postmodernism, poststructuralism and posthumanism; (2) Be aware of some of the salient aspects of poststructuralist thought and its contribution to literary criticism and theory; (3) Appreciate why countering and consolidation of poststructuralism are both due; (4) Be aware of some of the most important post-2005 trends within literary criticism and theory. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: (1) Discern the distinctions between poststructuralist thought and other schools of literary criticism and theory; (2) Critique the emphasis on structure and taxonomies and matrices and templates and managerialism within various aspects of contemporary thought and workplace cultures; (3) Read texts with a view to their amenability to poststructuralist interpretation and critique; (4) Be more discerning in the assessment of recent articles and monographs within literary criticism. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Belsey, Catherine, Poststructuralism: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. - Culler, Jonathan, Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000). - Culler, Jonathan, The Literary in Theory (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2007). - Easthope, Anthony, British Post-Structuralism (London: Routledge, 1988). - Herbrechter, Stefan, Posthumanism: A Critical Analysis (London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2013). A reading pack will also be made available. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-Requisite Study-units ENG2066 or equivalent (subject to consultation with the lecturer) |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Ivan Callus |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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