Contemporary Belarusian and Ukrainian poetry: a postcolonial perspective 3221-S1-FBA-WPBU31

The aim of the course is to familiarize students with contemporary trends in Belarusian and Ukrainian poetry, their basic directions of development, as well as with the works of influential authors of the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century from the post-colonial (post-Soviet) point of view. The characteristics of the literary situation in Belarus and Ukraine will be presented.

After an introduction to postcolonial theory in literature, work in class will be based on the reading of sample works by Ukrainian and Belarusian poets (translated into Polish, contained in the anthologies listed in the bibliography or in materials provided to students). Students will be encouraged to analyze poems using their theoretical knowledge, the explanations of the Belarusian and Ukrainian contexts given in class, and a comparative approach, taking into account not only Belarusian and Ukrainian literature, but also Polish literature and individual students' knowledge of other literatures.

The course will finish with a graded credit session (zaliczenie na ocenę), for which students will be given a few minutes to prepare. It will include two theoretical questions and the analysis of a poem.