HENKF2402U English - Free topic B: The Self and the World in Twenty-First Century U.S. Fiction

Volume 2023/2024
Content

This 15 ECTS course is focused on twenty-first century U.S. fiction. Students will read 5-6 authors for each section of the course.

One half of the course (taught by Martyn Bone) will focus on twenty-first century transnational American fiction: texts that situates the United States at global scales (hemispheric, transatlantic, and transpacific), often with an emphasis on migration.

The other half of the course (taught by Christina Fogarasi) will focus on twenty-first century U.S. fiction that raises and explores questions of selfhood, identity, and gender.

In both parts of the course, we will be looking at how the themes and forms of twenty-first century U.S. fiction relate to the changing identity of the nation, the state, and the self in today’s globalized world. 

Authors may include Yaa Gyasi, Teju Cole, Cormac McCarthy, Ha Jin, Monique Truong, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Ocean Vuong, Laila Lalami, Carmen Maria Machado, Ottessa Moshfegh, Ben Lerner, Garth Greenwell, Raven Leilani, and Sigrid Nunez. 

Classes will emphasize student involvement and discussion.
This course only leads to exams Free Topic 1, Free Topic 2 and Free Topic 3.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 56
  • Preparation
  • 353,5
  • Total
  • 409,5
Written
Oral
Individual
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Credit
15 ECTS
Type of assessment
Portfolio, A joint portfolio uploaded in digital exam: Deadline June 7th 2024
Type of assessment details
The portfolio exam will consist of two papers of 8-10 pages each (one for the section taught by Martyn, one for the section taught by Tina) and a conference-style presentation, with slides of 3-5 pages from the presentation uploaded as part of the portfolio. The portfolio will combine these three elements for the final grade.
Exam registration requirements

This course only leads to exams Free Topic 1, Free Topic 2 and Free Topic 3.

Criteria for exam assesment