Excellent all-round language skills in English

The ability to analyse and evaluate contemporary fiction in the broader political and social context;
The ability to communicate ideas and arguments effectively, in class discussion and
in written form;
The ability to work collaboratively through discussion and interaction;
The ability to locate relevant bibliographical resources and to use them;
The ability to use a range of information technology resources to assist with
information retrieval and assignment presentation.

Politics and Prose: Brexit Literature in The Divided Kingdom

The decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union has inspired in a conspicuous outpouring of political, economic and social investigations that seek to understand the complex processes leading to the Referendum and its result. Novelists too have contributed to this debate by using fiction to explore social, emotional and political issues related to the divisive climate prevailing before and after the vote. This module will consider both fiction and non-fiction writing about Brexit, analysing the narrative strategies authors deploy and the themes they select to reflect upon crucial societal and cultural issues affecting the political life of the country as well as individual perceptions of insecurity and uncertainty. While novels marketed as 'Brexit literature' may not always be overtly concerned with the shambolic political climate of a divided nation, they all pay attention to broader societal, ideological and affective questions of great concern to British citizens. Some of the texts we will analyse have been advertised as 'state-of-the-nation' novels; others fall into the category of dystopian political thrillers; others still adopt a short form (novella, short story) to capture a conflictive scenario within the private dynamics of human relationships. Writers' response to Brexit is not just a question of what topics their fictions address; most salient is how fictional forms are used, sometimes in a disruptive way, to explore the impact of Brexit. By reading novels alongside non-fictional analyses of the history and culture of Euroscpeticism, students will be encouraged to contextualise contemporary fiction in relation to various long-standing myths about English sovereignty and the role of the UK vis-à-vis the European Union.

• 1.  (A) Coe, Jonathan Middle England Penguin, UK, 2018
• 2.  (A) Craig, Amanda The lie of the land Little Brown, Uk, 2017
• 3.  (A) Smith, Ali Autumn Penguin, UK, 2017
• 4.  (A) Smith, Ali Spring Penguin, UK, 2019
• 5.  (A) Cartwright, Anthony The Cut Peirene Press, UK, 2017
• 6.  (A) Board, Douglas Time of Lies: A Political Satire Lightning Books, UK, 2017
• 7.  (A) O'Tool, Fintan Heroic Failure: Brexit and the Politics of Pain Apollo Books, UK, 2018 » Pagine/Capitoli: alcuni capitoli
• 8.  (A) Eaglestone, Robert Brexit and Literature:Critical and Cultural responses Routledge, UK, 2018 » Pagine/Capitoli: alcuni capitoli

I romanzi saranno tutti analizzati e spiegati in classe. Lo studente dovrà scegliere TRE romanzi da portare all'esame. Trattandosi di testi molto recenti, la bibliografia critica è scarna: i libri di O'Tool e Eaglestone forniscono un quadro di riferimento generale per capire l'impatto culturale del fenomeno Brexit. Ulteriori letture critiche sul contesto storico, sociale e culturale verranno messe a disposizione degli studenti all'inizio del corso.

• Lectures and class discussions
  Seminars with invited guests
  Students workshops
  

• Saggio critico in inglese (circa 2.500 parole) con la bibliografia delle fonti citate, da
  consegnare via email 10 gg prima dell'appello orale. Si deve saper argomentare in
  modo appropriato, analizzare criticamente i testi proposti e avere una buona capacità
  espositiva in inglese. Criteri voto: capacità di esprimersi in modo corretto in inglese
  (50%); di costruire l'argomentazione e di entrare in dialogo con le fonti critiche
  (25%); analisi critica (25%)
  Prova orale: workshop di circa 15 min. in inglese. Si deve dimostrare di saper
  comunicare oralmente, con buona pronuncia, i risultati delle proprie analisi; di saper
  organizzare e presentare le informazioni in forma sintetica; di aver letto la bibliografia
  e di aver meditato criticamente sulle principali tematiche proposte.Criteri voto:
  proprietà di linguaggio (30%); pronuncia inglese (20%); analisi critica (25%);
  comprensione di testi e bibliografia critica (25%).

inglese

inglese