Decolonising Modernism: 1850 to the Contemporary (943Q3A)

30 credits, Level 7 (Masters)

Autumn teaching

This module challenges the view that Anglo-American and European writers are the founders and sole practitioners of the experimental literature by which modernism is so often defined. This misconception continues to merge the inventions, creativity, and reach of avant-garde writers of the Global South and marginalised groups in the Global North.

You will learn how to broaden our modernist vantages not only in terms of temporality and geography, but also in relation to race, gender, sexuality, and class. You will engage with nineteenth and twentieth-century writers from Asia, the Caribbean, South America, and Africa, as well as North America and Europe.

The relationship between radical politics and radical aesthetics is a central concern. Whether it's poetry, fiction, drama, life writing, or polemics, all assigned literature is read in English, and issues of translation and transmission form part of our discussion.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 300 hours of work. This breaks down into about 22 hours of contact time and about 278 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2023/24. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.