AJ25047 Indigenous Literature

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2015
Extent and Intensity
0/2. 2 credit(s) (plus 3 credits for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Martina Horáková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Nicole Perry, Ph.D. (lecturer), Mgr. Martina Horáková, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel, B.A.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Supplier department: Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Mon 12:30–14:05 G31
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 15 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/15, only registered: 0/15
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 14 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
This course aims to examine in more detail contemporary Indigenous literature (and culture in general) in North America. We will co-teach this course with Dr. Nicole Perry from the University of Vienna, taking turns each week. Students will be asked to study the texts/films, analyzing themes and narrative strategies and contemplate the ways in which modern Indigenous cultural forms may articulate a distinctive genre and/or aesthetic. The analysis will be put into a larger context of the historical development of Indigenous literatures in the USA and Canada since its renaissance in the 1960s and also into the perspective of traditions of oral cultures. At the end of the course students should have a better appreciation of the minority discourse and the development of Indigenous artistic forms in the last four decades.
Syllabus
  • Syllabus: Week 1, Sept 28: National holiday, no class Week 2, Oct 5: Nicole Perry/Martina Horáková Introduction to course policies and assignments Indigenous Methodologies Week 3, Oct 12: Nicole Perry Indigenous Non-Fiction: Thomas King, The Inconvenient Indian (2012) Week 4, Oct 19: Nicole Perry Indigenous Drama: Drew Hayden Taylor, The Berlin Blues (2007) Week 5, Oct 26: reading week, no class Week 6, Nov 2: Nicole Perry Indigenous Bildungsroman: Jeannette Armstrong, Slash (1985) Week 7, Nov 9: Nicole Perry Indigenous Short Stories: Joseph Boyden, Born with a Tooth (2001), stories “Shawanagan Bingo Queen”, “Men Don’t Ask”, and “Legend of the Sugar Girl” Week 8, Nov 16: Nicole Perry/Martina Horáková Indigenous Humor and Re-appropriation: Sherman Alexie, from The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven (1993); Indigenous artwork as re-appropriation of the “Indian” Image Week 9, Nov 23: Martina Horáková Indigenous Gender Roles: Louise Erdrich, The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse (2001) Week 10, Nov 30: Martina Horáková Indigenous Critical Theory Week 11, Dec 7: Martina Horáková Indigenous Life Writing: Beth Brant, “Writing Life and Baking Bread”; N. Scott Momaday Week 12, Dec 14: Martina Horáková Indigenous Gothic: Eden Robinson, Monkey Beach (2000)
Literature
    required literature
  • Sherman Alexie, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven (1993)
  • ERDRICH, Louise. The last report on the miracles at Little No Horse. 1st ed. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 2001, 361 s. ISBN 0060187271. info
  • ROBINSON, Eden. Monkey beach. 1st pub. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000, 377 s. ISBN 0618073272. info
  • BRANT, Beth. Writing as witness :essay and talk. Canada: Women's Press, 1994, 127 s. ISBN 0-88961-200-5. info
Teaching methods
group and class discussions of assigned texts, mini-lectures
Assessment methods
Evaluation: Participation and class discussion 20% Response papers 30% Final essay 50% Note: To pass the course, students must pass all activities in the continuous assessment. Assignment guidelines: Response papers: The purpose of this activity is to read critically, notice details, take notes when reading, make connections, return to key passages, gain a deeper appreciation of the assigned text(s), clearly formulate one’s own thoughts in writing, get feedback from the instructors, and be prepared to contribute to class discussions. In theory, no research is needed (though possible) at this stage, the paper should rather voice your own creative/critical thoughts, discoveries and opinions based on the primary reading(s). The format is three to four double-spaced pages, MLA format, including a precise title, introduction, body and conclusion, clear argumentation, logical organization, coherent paragraphs, integrated citations, academic language. Please bring a hard copy to the class. Final essay: The final research paper must be based on your own research and integrate secondary sources as well as textual support from primary readings. The format is 8 pages minimum (excluding bibliography), double-spaced, 12p Times New Roman, following MLA guidelines for references and bibliography. Deadlines will be set in the IS before the exam period.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2012, Spring 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2015, recent)
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