ENGL 2052 - Contemporary World Literature

Credits: 3
Hours/Week: Lecture 3 Lab 0
Course Description: This college literature course intended for all students explores and analyzes Contemporary World Literature from 1945 to the present. Topics may cover postcolonialism and decolonization; themes of post-war trauma, social critique, and political unrest across diverse cultures and regions; racial, gender, and religious based identity; intersectionality; the effect of increasingly globalized economies; and changes in societal power dynamics. Typical authors may include Chinua Achebe, V.S. Naipaul, Doris Lessing, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Octavio Paz, Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, Haruki Murakami, and Zadie Smith.
MnTC Goals
6 Humanities/Fine Arts, 8 Global Perspective

Prerequisite(s): Course placement into college-level English and Reading OR completion of ENGL 0950 with a grade of C or higher OR completion of RDNG 0940 with a grade of C or higher and qualifying English Placement Exam OR completion of RDNG 0950 with a grade of C or higher and ENGL 0090 with a grade of C or higher OR completion of ESOL 0051 with a grade of C or higher and ESOL 0052 with a grade of C or higher.
Corequisite(s): None
Recommendation: ENGL 1020 with a grade of C or higher OR ENGL 1021 with a grade of C or higher.

Major Content

Contemporary World Literature (Postcolonialism, Postmodernism, 21st Century World Literature).
Expanding the canon to include voices from traditionally underrepesented, underpublished, undertranslated, and oppressed groups.
Cultural, political, economic, religious, social, and linguistic influences on Contemporary World Literature.
Elements of literature, including plot, character, point of view, setting, theme, tone, and style.
Techniques for close reading and interpretation.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course students will be able to:

describe the scope and variety of works in Contemporary World Literature.
articulate an informed personal reaction to works in Contemporary World Literature.
analyze political, economic, and cultural elements which influence relations of states and societies in their historical and contemporary dimensions as reflected in contemporary world literature
analyze those works as expressions of individual and human values within an historical and social context.
analyze basic literary elements in works studied
respond critically to works in Contemporary World Literature.
analyze contemporary world literature in relation to international cultural, economic, and political differences.
examine the cultural, social, religious and linguistic differences in contemporary world literature.

Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC): Goals and Competencies
Competency Goals (MnTC Goals 1-6)

06. 01. Demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities.

06. 02. Understand those works as expressions of individual and human values within an historical and social context.

06. 03. Respond critically to works in the arts and humanities.

06. 05. Articulate an informed personal reaction to works in the arts and humanities.

Theme Goals (MnTC Goals 7-10)

08. 01. Describe and analyze political, economic, and cultural elements which influence relations of states and societies in their historical and contemporary dimensions.

08. 02. Demonstrate knowledge of cultural, social, religious and linguistic differences.

08. 03. Analyze specific international problems, illustrating the cultural, economic, and political differences that affect their solution.

Courses and Registration