The Contemporary Coming-of-Age Novel in English: Female, Ethnic and Ageing Perspectives

On completion of the course students will be able to:

• demonstrate a familiarity with contemporary literary and cultural theory and concepts related to the Bildungsroman as well as with relevant concepts in gender, ethnicity and ageing studies
• perform independent anlyses and interpretations of a selection of works pertaining to the contemporary Bildungsroman in English in the light of these theories and concepts
• orally and in writing communicate and argue for his or her own interpretations of literary texts in clear and correct academic English
• critically reflect upon and give constructive criticism to the work of others.

The aim of this course is to analyse the most recent developments in the Bildungsroman genre in English and the way it was redefined during the final decades of the twentieth century and the early twenty-first century. A selection of texts will be analysed from the perspective of gender, ethnicity and ageing. This will raise awareness about the manner in which these texts in a critical sense challenge traditional definitions of the Bildungsroman. In the analysis, stress is on those aspects of the current socio-historical context, such as the gained prominence of women in society, transcultural exchanges and the ageing population, all of which are crucial both in the formation of the individual as well as for social integration.

The course is examined through continuous assessment of seminar activities, oral and written work, and a final paper.

The course consists of small-group teaching in seminars, pre-seminar assignments, and written responses to literary as well as critical and theoretical texts. All teaching is conducted in English.

The Swedish grades U–VG.