Convenor: Dr Antonia Hofstätter

How should we approach critically complex issues of cultural production, interpretation, and the construction of meaning in texts, films and other media in Modern Languages? Critical Debates is a 45 Credits compulsory core module for all students taking the taught MA in Modern Languages and Cultures. Teaching will be structured around three themes selected by the School on a yearly basis from the following list: Migration and Diversity; Gender and Sexuality Studies (including Feminism, Queer Studies); Post-/Decolonial Studies; Memory Studies; Media and Film; Globalisation, Glocalisation and the Resurgence of Nationalism. This list is indicative and the topics will vary from year to year. You will be taught by a team of colleagues from across the School. By studying and discussing crucial and often complex questions in the study of Modern Languages and the cultures to which they relate, you will gain a broad theoretical and methodological framework for the detailed study of further texts and/or visual media. You will learn to evaluate established positions and newly developing critical approaches in the field of Modern Languages (broadly defined) and become familiar with relevant vocabulary and methodologies for advanced cultural analysis.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

How should we approach critically complex issues of cultural production, interpretation, and the construction of meaning in texts, films and other media in Modern Languages? Teaching will be structured around three themes selected by the School on a yearly basis from the following list: Migration and Diversity; Gender and Sexuality Studies (including Feminism, Queer Studies); Post-/Decolonial Studies; Memory Studies; Media and Film; Globalisation, Glocalisation and the Resurgence of Nationalism. This list is indicative and the topics will vary from year to year. You will be taught by a team of colleagues from across the School. The module will be taught over one and a half terms, or 13 weeks in all.

Term 1

Week 1 - general introduction and module outline
Week 2 - introduction to Critical Debate I
Week 3 - in-depth analytical reading and discussion
Week 4 - in-depth analytical reading and discussion
Week 5 - preliminary conclusions, draft outlines for the first assignment
Week 6 - reading week
Week 7 - introduction to Critical Debate II
Week 8 - in-depth analytical reading and discussion
Week 9 - in-depth analytical reading and discussion
Week 10 - preliminary conclusions, draft outlines for the second assignment

Term 2

Week 1 - introduction to Critical Debate III
Week 2 - in-depth analytical reading and discussion
Week 3 - in-depth analytical reading and discussion
Week 4 - preliminary and general conclusions, draft outlines for the third assignment

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• participate in an informed and nuanced discussion of multiple critical debates in the study of Modern Languages and the cultures to which they relate
• write reflective and/or analytical essays on at least two critical debates in Modern Languages
• present their own informed, critical reflections on at least one critical debate in Modern Languages
• demonstrate advanced understanding of key characteristics and challenges relating to critical debates in Modern Languages
• correctly and meaningfully deploy specialist vocabulary relating to key concepts in relevant critical debates in Modern Languages

Indicative reading list

TBC

Research element

Assessment topics will require you to carry out further independent research, in order to write an essay or prepare an oral presentation in relation to one of the critical debates under study. The research may involve the identification of suitable primary source texts beyond those discussed in class and will require you to identify, read and digest further critical studies (secondary literature) in order to underpin their assessed work.

Subject specific skills

You will develop your ability to read and analyse complex theoretical, conceptual and/or critical texts (broadly defined) relating to past, ongoing or emerging critical debates in Modern Languages. Such sources may be in English or relevant foreign languages; you will therefore also develop your linguist skills through engaging with primary materials in the target language. You will be encouraged to access the texts in their original language where possible, in line with pre-existing linguistic abilities.

Assessment

Essay on one of the critical debates (35%) x 2

Oral presentation on one of the critical debates (30%)