LFU:online

cultivation of a differentiated understanding of the experience of migration as such as well as of the cultural phenomenon of migrant literature

development of a sense of the history of immigration to Canada as part of the country’s colonization and postcolonial self-identitification

practice of in-depth critical reading of narrative texts

Canada is a classic immigration country and indeed consciously identifies as such. Therefore it is not surprising that the demographic developments which have influenced Canada’s history should be reflected also in Canadian literature. We will be looking at earlier and later narrative accounts (i.e. from the later 19^th century to the present) of people from various cultural backgrounds having made their way to Canada to start a new life there. In the process we will be looking at what kinds of stories this special experience produces, explore what the recurrent themes and formal structures of such stories are and discuss in how far these are symptomatic of migration in general. Key foci of our critical readings will be aspects of cultural pluralism, identity, place and space.

primarily class discussion, presentations by students, some lecturing

combined: written & oral

To be supplied in form of a reader in the first week of term.

MA Programme: none

Diploma and Teacher Training Programme: positive completion of first part of studies (1. Studienabschnitt)

Diploma Programme (343): SE 2: English Literature and Culture

Teacher Training Programme (344): SE 2: English Literature and Culture

the seminar will be held as a block in June