Prerequisites

There are no specific language requirements for this course

Aims and Objectives

15 CATS

The transcultural turn at the end of the twentieth century has opened up an exciting new direction for cultural studies in modern foreign languages.

Increased global movement of people, goods and ideas means that how we understand "the nation" and concepts of national identity have changed significantly. Emphasising cross-border relations and looking at how concepts ‘travel’, this transcultural turn has created a heightened awareness of transnational patterns of exchange and affiliation. New technologies and methods of transport have increased the porosity of borders, making it possible to be both here and there. This in turn extends and stretches the range of, for example, politics and notions of responsibility.

This course is particularly interested in how concepts are translated, re-interpreted and circulated, within, across and beyond national boundaries. This transcultural approach will flag up similarities and differences between cultures, while also spotlighting the limitations of more traditional readings of national culture as a homogenous entity. Tapping into cross-School research specialisms and engaging with Chinese, French, German, Italian, Hispanic Studies case studies, it allows students to explore the culture of their choice in a wider context while also offering them an opportunity to gain a more complex understanding of what exactly culture means.

The module will allow students to:

• Critically reflect on the central tenets of transculturalism and apply them to their own work (essay)
• Explore cultural exchanges outside language-specific boundaries
• Deepen their knowledge of the culture and history of their language of specialism
• Critically reflect on what culture means and how it is comprised
• Explore patterns of exchange and connection
• Develop their critical awareness, analytical and written skills at MA level
• Develop their presentation skills through in-class (not assessed) seminar presentation
• Engage critically with theoretical literature and use this to support arguments (essay)
• Develop further key transferable skills including effective and efficient communication, self-motivation, self- reliance, co-operation, and time and information management.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The module consists of 12 teaching hours, across 6 weeks.

Assessment

100% Course Work:
3,000-word essay

Schedule and Teaching Delivery

tbc

Module Convenor

tbc