Run by School of Languages, Literatures, Linguistics and Media

20 Credits or 10 ECTS Credits

Semester 1

Organiser: Dr James Wilkes

• Study a broad range of literature published from the 1920s to the present
• Situate this literature within broader historical, social, cultural and political contexts
• Establish and explore areas of contrast and continuity between the texts on the module
• Develop creative responses to the texts presented on the module.

Modern & Contemporary Writing introduces students to a range of British and Irish texts from the modern and contemporary period. It begins with modernist texts from the 1920s, before considering politically-engaged writing from the 1930s, and the emergence of postmodern literature in the years after the Second World War. The final part of the course considers more contemporary literature, including writing from a postcolonial perspective. The course asks students to investigate how literature across a range of genres responds to the broad historical trends and specific events of the age. These might include modernism, the political situation in the 1930s, post-War postmodernity, and postcolonialism. New and contemporary movements and traditions in British/Irish literature will be explored in the final part of the course. The module will also include visits from contemporary writers. These contemporary works will be used as springboards and inspiration for the students own creative work, and students will be encouraged to develop a critical sense of their creative work in its contemporary context.

threshold

A 3rd class candidate’s work will show many of the following features:

Limited engagement with ideas.

Link between themes and form not always clear.

Limited sense of formal conventions. Inconsistent with regard to linguistic technicalities.

Limited awareness of redrafting and editing process.

excellent

Typically, the work of a first class candidate will show many of the following qualities:

Excellent levels of originality, vision and depth; striking and thorough engagement with ideas.

Excellent understanding and control of form.

Impressive linguistic control and/or innovation.

Sophisticated understanding of the creative process and assured control of decisions made in writing.

Dynamic work approaching publishable standard.

good

A 2(i) candidate’s work will show many of the following qualities:

Demonstration of a degree of vitality and originality.

Very good understanding of generic conventions; sound use of structures and forms.

Resourceful use of language.

Sound understanding of the creative process and thoughtful control of decisions made in writing.

Very good work, which at times comes close to publishable standard.

C- to C+

A 2(ii) candidate’s work will show many of the following qualities:

Some attempt at serious exploration of ideas.

Some link between themes and form. Good attempt to engage with form, but this may not be entirely sustained.

Use of language technically proficient, but not always focused.

Some awareness of the creative process and of decisions made in writing.

Good work, but its strengths need to be more fully sustained to reach publishable standard.

1. • Critically appreciate, analyse and interpret a range of literary texts in relation to postmodernity, contemporary and emerging movements and traditions • Examine patterns and variations in the literary response to the historical trends and events of the period

2. • Reflect critically on the contemporary context of their creative work.

3. • Select, digest and organise material and produce a consistent and coherent argument, presented in essay form, to a deadline.

4. • Examine contemporary texts from the perspective of a particular critical concern or emerging trend

5. • Construct a meaningful cultural and historical understanding of the period

6. • Develop creative work that is aware of its contemporary context

Type	Name	Description	Weight
	Critical Essay		50
	Creative Portfolio and Commentary		50

		Hours
Private study	Personal research	167
Lecture	Two weekly lectures to be shared with QXE2019 Contemporary Writing (LIT)	22
Workshop	Weekly Creative Writing Workshop	11

• Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
• Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
• Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
• Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
• Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
• Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
• Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
• Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others

Reading list

See reading list for Contemporary Writing (LIT) QXE2019

Compulsory in courses:

• 2P78: BA English Lit with Creative Writing with International Exp year 2 (BA/ECI)
• 2P17: BA English Literature and Creative Writing year 2 (BA/ENCW)
• 2D13: BA English Literature with Creative Writing year 2 (BA/ENGLC)
• Q2W9: MArts English Literature with Creative Writing year 2 (MARTS/ELCW)
• Q320: MArts English Literature year 2 (MARTS/ELIT)

Optional in courses:

• W890: BA Creative&Professional Writing year 2 (BA/CPW)
• WP83: BA Media Studies & Creative Wrtng year 2 (BA/CWMS)
• 8G55: BA English Language with Creative Writing (with Int Exp) year 3 (BA/ELCIE)
• Q3WL: BA Eng Lang with Creat Writ year 2 (BA/ELCW)
• Q310: BA Eng Lit with Eng Lang year 2 (BA/ELEL)
• 3QV1: BA History and English Literature year 2 (BA/ELH)
• 09V3: BA English Literature and Italian year 2 (BA/ELI)
• 3YT5: BA English Literature and Spanish year 2 (BA/ELIS)
• 065C: BA English Literature with Journalism year 2 (BA/ELJ)
• 1Q3Q: BA Linguistics and English Literature year 2 (BA/ELL)
• QQC3: BA English Lang and Lit year 2 (BA/ELLIT)
• QQCF: BA English Language & English Lit [with Foundation Year] year 2 (BA/ELLITF)
• 32N6: BA English Literature and Music year 2 (BA/ELM)
• 32N7: BA English Literature & Music with International Experience year 2 (BA/ELMIE)
• 32M8: BA English Literature with Theatre and Performance year 2 (BA/ELTP)
• M3Q9: BA English Literature and Criminology and Criminal Justice year 2 (BA/ENC)
• Q3Q2: BA English Language w English Lit year 2 (BA/ENGEL)
• 8H25: BA English Literature year 2 (BA/ENGL)
• 8H26: BA English Literature (with International Experience) year 2 (BA/ENIE)
• 06CD: BA French and English Literature year 2 (BA/FEL)
• R1W8: BA French with Creative Writing year 2 (BA/FRCW)
• P3W8: BA Film Studies and Creative Writing year 2 (BA/FSCW)
• 3P3Q: BA Film Studies and English Literature year 2 (BA/FSEL)
• 3N7S: BA German and English Literature year 2 (BA/GEL)
• R2W8: BA German with Creative Writing year 2 (BA/GERCW)
• Q1Q3: BA Ling with Eng Lit year 2 (BA/LEL)
• T124: BA English Literature & Chinese year 2 (BA/LITCH)
• 3HPQ: BA Media Studies and English Literature year 2 (BA/MEN)
• WW38: BA Music and Creative Writing year 2 (BA/MUSCW)
• 3VQV: BA Philosophy and Religion and English Literature year 2 (BA/PREN)
• 8M74: BA Spanish with Creative Writing (with International Exp) year 2 (BA/SCIE)
• 3L3Q: BA Sociology and English Literature year 2 (BA/SEL)
• R4W8: BA Spanish with Creative Writing year 2 (BA/SPCW)
• M115: LLB Law with English Literature (International Experience) year 2 (LLB/ILEL)