LFU:online

The aim of this course is to familiarise students with the theory of trauma for the analysis of the experience child soldiers are forced to undergo. At the end of the semester students will be able to apply trauma theory to novels and films and give answers to how the rehabilitation process impacts on the child soldiers and their families.

Stories of child soldiers deal with war and its traumatizing experience. Referring to Freud’s Moses and Monotheism, Stonebridge claims, “identity begins with a trauma, a wound in the psyche of which we cannot speak, but upon which we nonetheless fixate in our imperfect memories, fictions, repetitions, and compulsions.” In the course we will analyse how war forces children to leave childhood behind and how violence, killing, and sexual abuse profoundly impact on the their rehabilitation process. This process in most cases is a lengthy and challenging struggle to break a vicious circle, that of the bonding with supposed protectors and leaders. 

lecture, group discussions, presentations

written paper

BA Teacher Training Programme: positive completion of compulsory module 13

BA 2016: positive completion of compulsory module 10

BA 2009: positive completion of compulsory modules 3 and 16

Teacher Training Programme: VO 2: Introduction to British and Postcolonial Literary Studies

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.