LFU:online

Gaining an overview of contemporary literary fiction concerned with the WWW and social networks; acquiring and solidifying methods of analyzing novels from the perspectives of literary and cultural studies

In this seminar we will be examining contemporary novels about the World Wide Web. For the sake of clarification – the texts envisioned do not belong to the domain of fiction written for and available in the WWW but "conventional", mostly satirical literary texts centered on the uses and socio-cultural effects of new media. A preliminary list of works comprises Dave Eggers’ The Circle, Joshua Ferris’ To Rise Again at a Decent Hour, Gabriel Roth’s The Unknowns, Gary Shteyngart’s Super Sad True Love Story, Curtis White’s Requiem, and (depending on demand) Thomas Pynchon’s Bleeding Edge. Since some of these texts are far from well-researched, there will be fascinating groundwork ahead of us, especially in terms of generic classifications, narrative analyses, and socio-cultural embedding.

Analyses of texts, presentations, reviewing, production of academic texts

Active participation, presentations, term-paper of ca. 3,500 words

Course materials and selected primary and secondary sources will be posted on OLAT.

Prerequisite for the Bachelor Program (612): positive completion of compulsory module 10,  for the Teacher Training Program (Lehramtsstudium: 344): VO2: Introduction to American Literary Studies, for BA Lehramt (344): positive completion of compulsory module 13

BA "old" (2009): PS2: American Literature
Teacher Training Program "old" (2001): PS2: American Literature

Due to substantial differences in the allocation of ECTS-Credits in various curricula (teacher training program - BA/MA English and American Studies), the requirements for this course vary. Information will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the course.