FF:SAKS011 NA Cross-cultural Narratives - Course Information

SAKS011 North American Cross-cultural Narratives

Extent and Intensity

0/2/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Taught in person.

Teacher(s)

Mgr. Martina Horáková, Ph.D. (lecturer)

Guaranteed by

Mgr. Martina Horáková, Ph.D.
Center for North American Studies – Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Supplier department: Center for North American Studies – Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/25

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

there are 17 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

This course explores various ethnic minority and multicultural narratives that in one or another way deal with cultural identities. On the one hand, the selected texts will be analyzed from the perspective of how they present the relationship between minority/immigrant and mainstream cultures. On the other hand, we will also explore the ways in which these narratives shape the national identities of Canada and the USA. In addition, the issues of language, bilingualism, writing in English about non-English cultural backgrounds, as well as the effects these narratives have on non-English readers, will be of our interest in individual sessions. Both thematic and formal narrative strategies will be examined to demonstrate the diversity and richness of contemporary North American cross-cultural narratives.

Learning outcomes

Students will be able to analyze and appreciate various ethnic minority and multicultural narratives produced in USA and Anglophone Canada. They will also gain an insight into the issues of language, bilingualism, writing in English about non-English cultural backgrounds, as well as the effects these narratives have on non-English readers.

Syllabus

• Session 1: Introduction to course policies, assignments and main topics
• Session 2: Familial/r Geographies: Madeleine Thien, “Simple Recipes” and “A Map of the City” from Simple Recipes (2001)
• Session 3: Metaphors of Violence: Eden Robinson, “Traplines” and “Queen of the North” from Traplines (1996)
• Session 4: Gendered Spaces: Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street (1984)
• SEssion 5: Migrations and Cultural Encounters: Henry Kreisel, “The Almost Meeting” from The Almost Meeting and Other Stories (1981)
• Ssession 6: First Nations Narratives: Beth Brant, “This Is History” from Food and Spirits (1991), film: Atanarjuat (dir. Zakarias Kunuk, 2001)
• Session 7: Immigration Narratives: Nino Ricci, “Going to the Moon” (1990), film: Léolo (dir. Jean-Claude Lauzon, 1992) Session 8: Founding Narratives of English Canada: Margaret Atwood, “Death by Landscape” from Wilderness Tips (1991), film: Once in August (dir. Michael Rubbo, 1984)
• Session 9: Crossing Borders: Carmen Rodriguez, “Black Hole” from And a Body to Remember With (1997), Gloria Anzaldúa, chapters 1, 5 and 7 from Borderlands/La Frontera (1987)
• Session 10: The Canadian Dream: Austin Clarke, “Canadian Experience” from Choosing His Coffin (2003); George Elliott Clarke, “Clarke Versus Clarke: Tory Elitism in Austin Clarke's Short Fiction”
• Session 11: Re-inventing the Immigrant Self: Bharati Mukherjee, from Jasmine (1989), “A Four-hundred-year-old Woman” (1991)
• Session 12: Jazz Writing: James Baldwin, “Sonny’s Blues”, poetry by Michael Harper and Sonia Sanchez

Literature

• Henry Kreisel, The Almost Meeting and Other Stories, 1981
• borderlands la frontera
• Carmen Rodruigez, And a Body to Remember With, 1997.
• THIEN, Madeleine. Simple recipes : stories. 1st Emblem Editions publ. Toronto, Ontario: McClelland & Stewart. 229 s. ISBN 0771085125. 2002. info
• ANZALDÚA, Gloria. Borderlands : the new mestiza. 3rd ed. San Francisco: Aunt Lute Books. 255 s. ISBN 9781879960749. 1999. info
• ROBINSON, Eden. Traplines. 1st Vintage Canada ed. [Toronto]: Vintage Canada. 215 s. ISBN 0-676-97026-5. 1996. info
• BRANT, Beth. Food & spirits : stories. Vancouver: Press Gang Publishers. 125 s. ISBN 0889740321. 1991. info
• CISNEROS, Sandra. The house on Mango Street. 1st Vintage Contemporaries e. New York: Vintage Books. 110 s. ISBN 0679734775. 1991. info
• MUKHERJEE, Bharati. Jasmine. New York: Grove Press. 241 s. ISBN 0802136303. 1989. info

Teaching methods

This course consists of seminars which are discussion-oriented. Seminars include introduction to particular historical and cultural contexts as well as theoretical principles and cultural tropes, followed by textual analyses through group and class discussions.

Assessment methods

Class participation 20%; Mid-term paper 30%; Final research paper 50%

Language of instruction

English

Further Comments

The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every week.

• Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  
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