| 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 |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
none |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
none |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of English |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important
This unit traces how women’s political agitation in the West from the eighteenth century onwards culminated in the modern feminist movement, which transformed women’s historical status. Students will learn how literature was altered as a result, studying how women novelists, poets and playwrights brought the subjections of women to light and in so doing changed literary convention and what was possible in language and culture. The unit will focus primarily on the British context, but with attention to the international reach of the women’s movement. The unit will explore a variety of approaches in feminist theory, the ‘rediscovery’ of women’s writing which came out of the second-wave women’s movement in the late-1960s, as well as gender theory and the turn to queer theory and the study of masculinity.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
Special units offer thought-provoking and engaging investigations into key topics, including period-focused, thematic, and trans-historical approaches, often closely informed by the research expertise of individual academic staff. Special units ask students to both rethink the familiar and meet the unexpected, and encourage them to develop depth as well as breadth of critical understanding.
An overview of content
This unit 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 you 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 LGBT voices in fiction, and the exploration of Black/Afro Feminism, which locates considerations of gender, class and ethnicity in a global perspective.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
On completion of this unit students will have knowledge of the women’s movement as it emerged out the eighteenth century and evolved over the twentieth, and the impact of this on literature as women writers altered the literary canon and the way literary texts were written and understood. Students will be able to utilise theory to critically analyse literary texts though an understanding of feminist theory, queer theory and masculine studies.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
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.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
3,000 word essay (100%) [ILOs 1-4].
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the format or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are confirmed by the School/Centre shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the year.
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 University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
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. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
