Il corso si propone di condurre gli studenti ad una conoscenza diretta di una serie di principali autori della letteratura inglese, nonché a saper affrontare la letteratura inglese attraverso uno studio tematico.

Other Worlds: Dystopias and Futures

Dystopian fiction offers a vision of the future. Dystopias are societies in cataclysmic decline, with characters who battle environmental ruin, technological control, and government oppression. Dystopian novels can challenge readers to think differently about current social and political climates, and in some instances can even inspire action.

This course looks at major 20th century dystopian novels to find, discuss, and analyze the main connections these visions of the world’s future may have with present or imminent worldwide developments. Analysis and open discussion will primarily focus on -- genetic engineering and human reproduction -- evolution / devolution of language and communication -- the ‘revolutionary’ power of reading.

Novels:

• Huxley, A., Brave new world, Random UK, 2009 
• Orwell, G., Ninety Eighty-Four, Liberty, 2021 
• Bradbury, R., Fahrenheit 451, Harper Collins, 2008

Critical essays:

• Seed, David. “The Flight from the Good Life: "Fahrenheit 451" in the Context of Postwar American Dystopias”. Journal of American Studies, 28(2), pp. 225-240, 1994.
• Whalen, Tom. “The Consequences of Passivity: Re-evaluating Truffaut's ‘Fahrenheit 451’“. Literature/Film Quarterly, 35(3), pp. 181-190, 2007.
• Varricchio, M. “Power of Images/Images of Power in Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four”. Utopian Studies , 10(1), 1999, pp. 98-114.
• Frost, L. “Huxley's Feelies: The Cinema of Sensation in "Brave New World.” Twentieth Century Literature , 52(4), 2006, pp. 443-473.
• Horan, T. “The Sexual Life of the Savage in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World” in Desire and Empathy in Twentieth-Century Dystopian Fiction, Palgrave, 2018, pp.71-92.
• Velasco Guerrero, L.A. “Orwell and the Reductionism of Language”. Revista de Letras, 58(1), pp. 133-142, 2018.
• Dwan, D. “Truth and Freedom in Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four”. Philosophy and Literature, 34(2), p381-393, 2010.
• Phillips, L. “Sex, Violence and Concrete: The Post-war Dystopian Vision of London in Nineteen Eighty-Four”. Critical Survey, 20(1), pp. 69–79, 2008.
• Horan, T. “Desire and Empathy in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four” in Desire and Empathy in Twentieth-Century Dystopian Fiction, Palgrave, 2018, pp.147-168.

- Conoscenza e capacità di comprensione (knowledge and understanding): lo studente conosce i fondamenti storico-culturali e socio-antropologici essenziali, nonché gli strumenti critico-letterari, per affrontare la letteratura inglese del periodo moderno e contemporaneo.

- Capacità di applicare conoscenza e comprensione (applying knowledge and understanding): lo studente ha le competenze linguistiche e letterarie per la descrizione e analisi della letteratura inglese.

- Autonomia di giudizio (making judgements): lo studente possiede capacità critiche che lo mettono in grado di analizzare e valutare testi di argomento letterario e culturale, e sa esprimere opinioni autonome su temi socio-culturali riguardanti vari periodi storici inglesi.

- Abilità comunicative (communication skills): lo studente ha un atteggiamento aperto a realtà e epoche diverse e sa usare il linguaggio settoriale.

- Capacità di apprendimento (learning skills): lo studente acquisisce gli strumenti metodologici e le competenze bibliografico-critiche necessarie per sviluppare ulteriormente il proprio ambito di conoscenze, e raggiunge la preparazione di base necessaria a continuare gli studi della letteratura nella Laurea Magistrale.

Il materiale didattico predisposto dalla/dal docente in aggiunta ai testi consigliati (come ad esempio diapositive, dispense, esercizi, bibliografia) e le comunicazioni della/del docente specifiche per l'insegnamento sono reperibili all'interno della piattaforma Moodle › blended.uniurb.it

Use of audiovisual aids is an integral part of the programme. The course will be held in English.  

Modalità didattiche

- I romanzi e i racconti del corso saranno letti e discussi in lingua originale; Gli studenti sono pertanto incoraggiati a procurarsi i testi prima dell'inizio del corso e a portarli in classe. È meglio provvedersi dell'edizione indicata (vedi numeri ISBN), ma qualsiasi edizione in lingua originale di cui gli studenti siano già in possesso può andar bene, a condizione che sia una versione integrale. Gli studenti possono utilizzare le traduzioni in italiano per lo studio autonomo a casa.

Didattica innovativa

All lessons will be held in English. We will tap into CLIL methodology for digressions into pertinent side topics. On the ‘Blended Learning’ site for this course, you will find study material and resources to expand on lectures. 

Obblighi

Students are responsible for:

• reading the three (3) ‘novels’
• reading two (2) ‘critical essays’ of their choice, from the list included here

Students are invited to visit the course page on the blended.uniurb.it platform, where they will find ad-hoc study material. I strongly recommend The Norton Anthology of English Literature, (introduction to the 20th century).

Testi di studio

NOVELS:

• Huxley, A., Brave new world, Random UK, 2009 (ISBN-13: 978-0099477464)
• Orwell, G., Ninety Eighty-Four, Liberty, 2021 (ISBN-13: 978-8899279974)
• Bradbury, R., Fahrenheit 451, Harper Collins, 2008 (ISBN-13: 978-0006546061)

CRITICAL ESSAYS

-- available on blended.uniurb.it

Bradbury —

• Seed, David. “The Flight from the Good Life: "Fahrenheit 451" in the Context of Postwar American Dystopias”. Journal of American Studies, 28(2), pp. 225-240, 1994.
• Whalen, Tom. “The Consequences of Passivity: Re-evaluating Truffaut's ‘Fahrenheit 451’“. Literature/Film Quarterly, 35(3), pp. 181-190, 2007.

Huxley —

• Varricchio, M. “Power of Images/Images of Power in Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four”. Utopian Studies , 10(1), 1999, pp. 98-114.
• Frost, L. “Huxley's Feelies: The Cinema of Sensation in "Brave New World.” Twentieth Century Literature, 52(4), 2006, pp. 443-473.
• Horan, T. “The Sexual Life of the Savage in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World” in Desire and Empathy in Twentieth-Century Dystopian Fiction, Palgrave, 2018, pp.71-92.

Orwell —

• Velasco Guerrero, L.A. “Orwell and the Reductionism of Language”. Revista de Letras, 58(1), pp. 133-142, 2018.
• Dwan, D. “Truth and Freedom in Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four”. Philosophy and Literature, 34(2), p381-393, 2010.
• Phillips, L. “Sex, Violence and Concrete: The Post-war Dystopian Vision of London in Nineteen Eighty-Four”. Critical Survey, 20(1), pp. 69–79, 2008.
• Horan, T. “Desire and Empathy in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four” in Desire and Empathy in Twentieth-Century Dystopian Fiction, Palgrave, 2018, pp.147-168.

Modalità di
accertamento

Written exam. Students are given 6 open questions, of which they should answer 5. At least two should be answered in English. Time allowed: 50 minutes. 

Assessment is based on knowledge and understanding, as well as on a coherent and correct expression of such knowledge and understanding. Students can score up to a maximum of 6 points per answer. Those who score at least 2 points for each of the five answers will be awarded 1 extra point; students who score at least 3 points for each of the five answers will be awarded 2 extra points.

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

Obblighi

Self study: Non-attending students are expected to acquire knowledge of the historical and cultural context for the period going from World War I to the 1940s. Reliable resources can be found on the Internet. Although, I strongly recommend the Introduction to the "Twentieth Century and After" in The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Vol 2. pp.1827-1847 -- available on blended.uniurb.it .

• reading the three (3) ‘novels’
• reading two (2) ‘critical essays’ of their choice from the list.

Students are invited to visit the course page on the blended.uniurb.it platform, where they will find ad-hoc study material.

Testi di studio

NOVELS:

• Huxley, A., Brave new world, Random UK, 2009 (ISBN-13: 978-0099477464)
• Orwell, G., Ninety Eighty-Four, Liberty, 2021 (ISBN-13: 978-8899279974)
• Bradbury, R., Fahrenheit 451, Harper Collins, 2008 (ISBN-13: 978-0006546061)

CRITICAL ESSAYS

-- available on blended.uniurb.it

Bradbury —

• Seed, David. “The Flight from the Good Life: "Fahrenheit 451" in the Context of Postwar American Dystopias”. Journal of American Studies, 28(2), pp. 225-240, 1994.
• Whalen, Tom. “The Consequences of Passivity: Re-evaluating Truffaut's ‘Fahrenheit 451’“. Literature/Film Quarterly, 35(3), pp. 181-190, 2007.

Huxley —

• Varricchio, M. “Power of Images/Images of Power in Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four”. Utopian Studies , 10(1), 1999, pp. 98-114.
• Frost, L. “Huxley's Feelies: The Cinema of Sensation in "Brave New World.” Twentieth Century Literature, 52(4), 2006, pp. 443-473.
• Horan, T. “The Sexual Life of the Savage in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World” in Desire and Empathy in Twentieth-Century Dystopian Fiction, Palgrave, 2018, pp.71-92.

Orwell —

• Velasco Guerrero, L.A. “Orwell and the Reductionism of Language”. Revista de Letras, 58(1), pp. 133-142, 2018.
• Dwan, D. “Truth and Freedom in Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four”. Philosophy and Literature, 34(2), p381-393, 2010.
• Phillips, L. “Sex, Violence and Concrete: The Post-war Dystopian Vision of London in Nineteen Eighty-Four”. Critical Survey, 20(1), pp. 69–79, 2008.
• Horan, T. “Desire and Empathy in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four” in Desire and Empathy in Twentieth-Century Dystopian Fiction, Palgrave, 2018, pp.147-168.

Modalità di
accertamento

Written exam. Students are given 6 open questions, of which they should answer 5. At least two should be answered in English. Time allowed: 50 minutes. 

Assessment is based on knowledge and understanding, as well as on a coherent and correct expression of such knowledge and understanding. Students can score up to a maximum of 6 points per answer. Those who score at least 2 points for each of the five answers will be awarded 1 extra point; students who score at least 3 points for each of the five answers will be awarded 2 extra points.

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.