(in Polish) People on the Move in Fiction and Non-fiction Literature 3700-MSNS-PM-CSI
The course is divided into two sections: the first concentrates on fiction, while the second addresses non-fiction literature. The fiction component will examine the work of Polish writer Olga Tokarczuk (b. 1962). The class will focus on discussions about two constellation (non-linear, mosaic, “hybrid”) novels: “House of Day, House of Night” (1998, English trans. Antonia Lloyd Jones 2002) and “Flights” (2007, English trans. Jennifer Croft 2017). Their juxtaposition will serve as a starting point to discuss the meanings of rootedness in locality and constant being in motion, as well as the condition of modern subject, fluid identities, and dilemmas of contemporary corporeality.
The aim of this section of the course is to familiarize students with selected works by the Nobel Prize winner, but above all, will provide tools to interpret and discuss contemporary literature. The course does not require knowledge of the literary theory or Polish literature history, but willingness to read longer literary texts is a must.
The second part of the course will critically explore the ways migration and various figures of the migrant are portrayed in contemporary nonfiction texts and imagery, from news reports to literature and documentary film and participatory media /migrant autobiographies. We will analyze this material with the help of conceptual tools and insights from social and cultural theory, starting with the very concept of representation and the political, ethical and ideological aspects of the encoding and decoding of meaning, through the notion of otherness and the ways it relates to the categories of race, class, ethnicity/nationality and gender, to the mobilization of purity and innocence in the public imagination. Our readings will balance example material with texts in anthropology, cultural studies and qualitative research.
Proposed topics, part I:
“House of Day, House of Night”:
1. Mythical house – around the figure of Marta
2. The German past of the house: stories of the Sudetes
3. House of Night – the cosmic dimension of locality
“Flights”
1. The narrator and the condition of contemporary expats / nomads
2. Bodily journeys – the pilgrimage of bodies, specimens and Chopin’s heart
3. The story of Anushka and a Flight woman
Proposed topics, part 2:
1. Introduction: the cultural ecology of migration discourse and imagery
2. Othering and representation – the problem of “the migrant problem”
3. News and social media – narrative and political tropes from threats to victims to heroes
4. Voice and positionality in research and reportage
5. Technologies of self-representation and participatory media
6. Visual culture and the voice of documentary
7. Summing-up, in-class test
Learning outcomes
Learning outcomes
The student:
• Is familiar with selected contemporary literary and media narratives about migration. (K_W03)
• Understands the role of selected themes (borderlands, borders, small homelands, uprootedness, displacement, nomadism, journeys) in contemporary public culture. (K_W03)
• Interprets literary texts and various media messages in broad social contexts, including in the context of 20th-century migrations in Central and Eastern Europe and the contemporary popularity of travel. (K_W06)
• Understands the role of literature and media messages in intercultural communication. Appreciates their importance in promoting attitudes of tolerance and empathy towards representatives of other cultures and in understanding cultural differences. (K_W06)
• Demonstrates in-depth knowledge of methods for analyzing and interpreting contemporary literary texts and media content. (K_W07)
• Is able to obtain and critically evaluate information from various scientific, popular science, journalistic, and artistic (literary) sources. Understands the differences between literary, historical, and news media discourse. (K_U01)
• Is able to select and utilize diverse theoretical concepts within the disciplines of cultural studies and anthropology to interpret social and spatial mobility. (K_U04)
• Is willing to engage in lifelong learning (and understands the importance of this process). (K_K01)
• Is willing to explore new research methods in cultural studies, anthropology, and literary studies. (K_K03)
Assessment criteria
Course requirements and grading:
Grade is based on: preparation for classes, active participation in class discussions, a short written midterm and final assignment in class.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: