World Literatures: North and South America

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

• explain in detail a number of literary works from North and South America that cross boundaries, and the diversity of cultural contexts within which these were produced
• apply diametrically different approaches and question essentialist cultural concepts in the analysis of literary texts
• discuss the concept of world literature in its various meanings and in relation to literature from North and South America
• argue with clarity for their own analysis of literary works and objectively evaluate similar analyses carried out by others.

The course provides a broad overview of modern and contemporary literature that was produced on the American continents. A number of central works, which in some sense can be classified as world literature, are read in the original or in translation. The study of how these have been interpreted and analysed within different research traditions offers an insight into the wealth of approaches found in the study of literature. In particular, the concept of world literature will be studied in its various meanings as well as the way in which it has been used to discuss North and South American literature.

Students are assessed based on active participation in seminars and written assignments.

The course consists of lectures and obligatory seminars. The language of instruction is English.

The Swedish grades A–F.

The final grade for the course is based on an overall assessment of the examiner.

Reporting of grades:
Module 1: Written Assignments - 5 cr
Module 2: Seminars - 2.5 cr