Postcolonial Literature Matters

Prof. D.Litt. Tatyana Stoicheva
Lectures: 30
Seminars: 30
ECTS credits: 6

The course aims to introduce students to one of the latest and most influential theories in the humanities in Britain and the United States. This theory offers a new perspective on the civilizing role of England and the other West European countries in the XVIth-XXth c. and of the USA in the XXth c. The enforcement of European and American cultures as leading ones in the rest of the world provides students with the opportunity to give a new meaning to the principles and achievements of English and American literature and culture which they studied in the BA course and acquire and to get up-to-date knowledge English and American literatures and cultures. The course first discusses general concepts and terms and then moves on to the early representation of colonialism during the 19th century as well as the reproductions and transformations which came about in the course of the 20th c. The approach is student-oriented and involves independent reading and discussion of materials by leading experts in the field. Their insights are then used in analyses and discussions of literary works. Evaluation involves the writing of a short paper in which students will apply the knowledge they have gained and the writing of a term paper at the end. To do this course students should have some familiarity with English and American literature and should also choose The Theories of Identity elective course of the program. The course is conducted in English.