The course explores selected narratives in early literature of America/the United States in an effort to identify constitutive elements of conceptualizing the national Self against the cultural Other. We will examine how the literature from the period reflects and perpetuates (hegemonic) images of America that are grounded in notions such as “civilization“, religiosity, and individualism.
Based on a wide selection of texts the class discussion will investigate and compare the forms and functions of various genres (historical, religious, autobio-graphical and “literary“ texts as well journal entries and historical records) and thus address key narrative strategies of “Othering“.
Course requirements include active class preparation and participation, one in-class presentation and, as the module exam (MAP), a final paper of 15 pages.
Please register for the course via AGNES. |
