The course aims at exploring some key concepts of postcolonial theory in reference to the transformations and the processes of hybridation of the English language in Anglophone literatures. Through the reading of texts by authors from India, Australia, Nigeria, Canada, the Caribbean and South Africa, and also by black British writers, we will analyse how the historical and cultural processes related to colonialism and postcolonialism have influenced the linguistic choices and strategies of the authors, examining such concepts as, among others, hybridity, appropriation/abrogation, creolization, translanguaging, code-switching, mimicry, naming.

The course aims at exploring some key concepts of postcolonial theory in reference to the transformations and the processes of hybridation of the English language in Anglophone literatures, and articulates as follows:

1) General introduction to the linguistic, cultural and literary processes that have characterized the colonial and postcolonial Anglophone world.

2) Presentation of the concepts of abrogation and appropriation, in particular in the literary productions of Nigeria and India, in authors like Amos Tutuola, Chinua Achebe and Salman Rushdie. Close readings and activities, homework on the analysis of some texts. 

3) Elaboration on the concepts of hybridity, creolization and naming in African-American and Caribbean literatures, especially in authors like Paule Marshall, Edwidge Danticat and Jamaica Kincaid. Focus on some slave-narratives and their translation into Italian.

4) Presentations of the concepts of code-switching, code-mixing, creolization and mimicry in  Black British literature and in some authors from South Africa and Zimbabwe. Close readings and activities, homework on the analysis of some texts. 

At the end of the course, the students will have acquired analytical abilities and a good working knowledge of textual analysis e stylistics. They will be asked to apply those abilities and that knowledge to various text genres. They will be expected to be able to form independent judgments in their analyses, and to expound the same both in written and in spoken form. More specifically:

Knowledge and understanding: at the end of the course, the students will be required to show extensive knowledge of the above linguistic theories.

Applying knowledge and understanding: the students must be able to apply their knowledge of these theories to the analysis of various textual genres.

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

Teaching

The course includes:

• classroom lectures
• group activities and production of written papers
• oral presentations
• interactive lessons aimed at discussing the papers prepared by the students

Innovative teaching methods

Didactics in presence is implemented with individual and group activities to better explain and understand the arguments of the course, using the moodle platform of the University; some issues will be explored through the practice of the flipped lesson. 

Attendance

Attendance is highly recommended, in order to actively participate to discussions and analyses in class.

Course books

Palusci, O. (ed.by), English, but not Quite. Locating Linguistic Diversity, Trento, Tangram Edizioni, 2010. (selected chapters)

Ashcroft, B., Griffiths, G., Tiffin, H., Key Concepts in Postcolonial Studies, London, Routledge, 1998. (selected chapters)

Zullo, F. (2022). Travelling “back” to the Caribbean: Female Transnational Identities and Linguistic Relatedness in Paule Marshall’s "Praisesong for the Widow" and Edwidge Danticat’s "After the Dance". De Genere - Rivista Di Studi Letterari, Postcoloniali E Di Genere, (7), 127–141.

Teaching

Non-attending students do not have a different programme from attending students and must follow the indications for course-books in the programme and use the materials uploaded on the moodle platform.

Course books

Palusci, O. (ed.by), English, but not Quite. Locating Linguistic Diversity, Trento, Tangram Edizioni, 2010. (selected chapters)

Ashcroft, B., Griffiths, G., Tiffin, H., Key Concepts in Postcolonial Studies, London, Routledge, 1998. (selected chapters)

Zullo, F. (2022). Travelling “back” to the Caribbean: Female Transnational Identities and Linguistic Relatedness in Paule Marshall’s "Praisesong for the Widow" and Edwidge Danticat’s "After the Dance". De Genere - Rivista Di Studi Letterari, Postcoloniali E Di Genere, (7), 127–141.

Assessment

The exam consists in a written test composed by a guided stylistic analysis of short passages taken by postcolonial novels or short stories. The exam also presents questions about theory. Use of monolingual dictionaries is allowed. The final assessment will be based not only on the validity of the analysis, but also on methodological relevance (references to the course books) and on the student's argumentative abilities in English. In practice, in their written tests, the students will have to demonstrate notions in the field of postcolonial theory, to apply these notions to their analysis, to exercise their own judgement in their analytical choices, and to show a good command of written English (at the level required by the course). 

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.