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Unit information: Literature and the Politics of Gender in 2021/22

Please note: you are viewing unit and programme information for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.

Unit name Literature and the Politics of Gender
Unit code ENGL20120
Credit points 20
Level of study I/5
Teaching block(s) Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director Dr. April Gallwey
Open unit status Not open
Pre-requisites

none

Co-requisites

none

School/department Department of English
Faculty Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This course will look at how gender and sexuality have been explored through works of literature from the medieval period, up to the present day. It will introduce students to the history and politics of the modern women’s movement and key ideas from Feminist literary theory and studies of masculinity. It will also discuss more recent developments, such the inclusion of LGBTQ+ voices in fiction, and the exploration of Black/Afro Feminism, which locates considerations of gender, class and ethnicity in a global perspective.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Successful students will be able to:

1. Analyse texts that foreground issues of gender and sexuality across different historical periods

2. Understand and critically apply theories and ideas from varying Feminist/Gender theory perspectives

3. Communicate and evidence observations in relation to gender and literature within seminars

4. Demonstrate skills in textual analysis, argumentation, and critical interpretation appropriate to level I/5.

Teaching Information

The unit will taught through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous delivery over a period of 10 weeks. The teaching will include mini-lectures, small group discussions, self-directed exercises and presentations.

Assessment Information

1x 4000 word essay [ILOs 1,2 and 4] (100%)

Formative presentation (0%) [ILO 3]

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. ENGL20120).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.

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