This course explores twenty-first century British culture focusing on three major topics: feminism, identity and crisis.

Students will examine how the aforementioned key themes have impacted on British society and have shaped the meaning of the word ‘British’ today through analysing the plays of contemporary women playwrights. These texts will be studied and discussed in dialogue with a selection of critical literature on feminism, theatre and cultural studies, as well as with films, newspaper articles and fundamental past literary works. 

The course aims at providing students with the theoretical and methodological tools to understand and comment on key issues pertaining to twenty-first century British culture, and identify how they are presented and debated in contemporary texts. Linking theory with empirical work, the course also aims at developing critical thinking skills and promoting autonomous judgment.

1)    Key concepts in cultural studies 

2)    Feminisms

Alice Birch: Revolt. She Said. Revolt. Again.

Penelope Skinner: Linda

Laura Wade: Home, I’m Darling

Nina Raine: Consent

Caryl Churchill: Escaped Alone

3)    Identities

Polly Stenham: That Face

Alia Bano: Shades

Bola Agbaje: Gone Too Far!

debbie tucker green: stoning mary

Morgan Llloyd Malcolm: Emilia

4)    Crises

Carol Ann Duffy: My Country

Lucy Prebble: Enron

Ella Hickson: Precious Little Talent

Lucy Prebble: The Effect

Lucy Prebble: The Sugar Syndrome

Knowledge and understanding: students will acquire a good knowledge and understanding of key topics concerning contemporary British culture.

Applying knowledge and understanding: students will acquire the theoretical and methodological tools to understand and comment on key issues pertaining to twenty-first century British culture, and identify how they are presented and debated in contemporary texts. 

Making judgements: students will acquire the critical thinking skills to judge aspects of British culture and will be able to express autonomous opinions on such issues.

Communication skills: students will be able to communicate their ideas, and the knowledge and rationale underpinning these, to specialist and non-specialist audiences, clearly and unambiguously; students will be trained to engage with multiple identities and to avoid prejudices and stereotypes.

Learning skills: students will possess the methodological skills, the critical thinking skills and the ability to apply their theoretical knowledge to continue their studies in the field with a high degree of autonomy.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Use of audiovisual aids, group work and group discussions is an integral part of the programme.

Students are invited to visit the Moodle Blended Learning page of the course for further study activities. 

Teaching

• Lectures
• Group work and group discussions
• Presentations
• Audiovisual aids

Course books

Agbaje, Bola: Gone Too Far! (selection)

Bano, Alia: Shades (selection)

Birch, Alice: Revolt. She Said. Revolt. Again. (selection)

Churchill, Caryl: Escaped Alone (selection)

Duffy, Carol Ann: My Country (selection)

green, debbie tucker: stoning mary (selection)

Hickson, Ella: Precious Little Talent (selection)

Malcolm, Morgan Llloyd: Emilia (selection)

Prebble, Lucy: Enron (selection)

Prebble, Lucy: The Effect (selection)

Prebble, Lucy: The Sugar Syndrome (selection)

Raine, Nina: Consent (selection)

Skinner, Penelope: Linda (selection)

Stenham, Polly: That Face (selection)

Wade, Laura: Home, I’m Darling (selection)

Selected parts of the texts and secondary literature (required reading) will be made available on the Moodle Blended Learning page of the course. 

Assessment

Students are required to write an essay and take a viva voce examination on the essay topic.

The essay must be written in English and must be on one (or more) of the plays on the reading list. Students are expected to do adequate research on their topic. The topic of the essay must be discussed with the instructor prior to writing. Tips and guidelines for writing an essay will be provided on the Moodle Blended Learning page of the course.

Essay (about 1500 words, including references)

· Clarity, coherence and completeness of the content 50%

· Effective use of sources 30%

· Proper use of language 10%

· Proper use of The Chicago Manual of Style 10%

Viva voce (10-15 minutes) on the essay

· Knowledge of the essay topic 50%

· Fluency 20%

· Critical skills 30%

Final grade: Essay 60% viva voce 40%

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Extensive self-study (detailed textual and contextual analyses of the texts) using the study material and activities provided on Moodle and, if necessary, authoritative sources available in the web.

Students who perceive gaps in their understanding should contact the lecturer for further explanation as soon as possible.

Course books

Agbaje, Bola: Gone Too Far! (selection)

Bano, Alia: Shades (selection)

Birch, Alice: Revolt. She Said. Revolt. Again. (selection)

Churchill, Caryl: Escaped Alone (selection)

Duffy, Carol Ann: My Country (selection)

green, debbie tucker: stoning mary (selection)

Hickson, Ella: Precious Little Talent (selection)

Malcolm, Morgan Llloyd: Emilia (selection)

Prebble, Lucy: Enron (selection)

Prebble, Lucy: The Effect (selection)

Prebble, Lucy: The Sugar Syndrome (selection)

Raine, Nina: Consent (selection)

Skinner, Penelope: Linda (selection)

Stenham, Polly: That Face (selection)

Wade, Laura: Home, I’m Darling (selection)

Aston, Elaine: Restaging Feminisms. Palgrave Macmillan, 2020. (Recommended reading)

Longhurst, Brian, Greg Smith, Gaynor Bagnal, Garry Crawford, Miles Ogborn, Introducing Cultural Studies. Third Edition. Routledge, 2017 (chapters 1, 2, 3, 8). (Recommended reading)

Selected parts of the texts and secondary literature (required reading) will be made available on the Moodle Blended Learning page of the course. 

Assessment

Students are required to write an essay and take a viva voce examination on the essay topic.

The essay must be written in English and must be on one (or more) of the plays on the reading list. Students are expected to do adequate research on their topic. The topic of the essay must be discussed with the instructor prior to writing. Tips and guidelines for writing an essay will be provided on the Moodle Blended Learning page of the course.

Essay (about 1500 words, including references)

· Clarity, coherence and completeness of the content 50%

· Effective use of sources 30%

· Proper use of language 10%

· Proper use of The Chicago Manual of Style 10%

Viva voce (10-15 minutes) on the essay

· Knowledge of the essay topic 50%

· Fluency 20%

· Critical skills 30%

Final grade: Essay 60% viva voce 40%

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.