ENGLISH 3161 NATION, REGION, IDENTITY: STUDIES IN POST-COLONIAL LITERATURES FALL 2011 Classes: Tuesday and Thursday 2.00-3.

.15 in A3020 Instructor: Dr Fiona Polack Office location: A3006 Phone: 864 8055 Email: fpolack@mun.ca Office hours: 10.00-12.00 Wednesdays, or by appointment

Course Description English 3161 concentrates on writing from within a single formerly colonized region, or nation. This semester our focus is Australian literature, particularly its recent iterations. Australia was first settled by the British in 1788, and became a nation in 1901. From the time of colonization, the countrys writers have grappled with issues that recur in settler cultures. Preoccupations have included the fraught nature of relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, questions of place and displacement and the urge to forge a new and distinct post-colonial culture. This course will examine the after effects of colonialism, and the ways national identity is formulated, in significant works by established Australian authors. Required Reading Peter Carey, True History of the Kelly Gang Nicholas Jose (ed.) The Literature of Australia Amanda Lohrey, Vertigo David Malouf, Remembering Babylon Sally Morgan, My Place Christos Tsiolkas, The Slap

Assessment In class essay 29 September - 10% Research essay 1 - 1750 words - Due 27 October - 20% Research essay 2 - 2000 words - Due 29 November - 30% Class participation - 15% Final exam - 25% We will discuss the requirements of each piece of coursework in detail during the semester. Here are some points to keep in mind: 1) In Class Essay In answering the previously unseen question, you will be able to consult the set text, but not your class notes, or other secondary material. The focus here is on strengthening your abilities to think quickly and write well within a set time period. 2) Research Essays The research essays give you an opportunity to explore the texts in more detail. You will be able to choose between several set questions, but feel free to speak to me about constructing your own topic. For each essay you must refer to appropriate secondary sources, and format your paper according to MLA guidelines. 3) Participation You are strongly encouraged to contribute your ideas in class, and it is crucial that you complete each text on time in order to participate fully in discussions. In order to help shape your thoughts, keep a reading journal. Take the opportunity to explore points about the texts that catch your attention, and make observations about how the narratives we study interrelate. Your journal will provide an excellent basis from which to formulate points to raise in discussions, and in your essays. 4) Final Exam There will be a two and a half hour exam at the end of the course. It will give you an opportunity to make connections between the different texts we will have addressed.

Submission of Written Work Please submit hard copies of research essays in class on the above dates. Emailed documents will not be accepted. Always be sure to keep back-up copies of your work. In cases of illness or other unavoidable crisis, submit documentary evidence (e.g. medical certificate, police report etc.) to receive a rescheduled in class writing time, or a research essay extension. Please see section 5.14.4 of the University Calendar for information required for medical certificates. In the absence of documentary evidence, essays will be penalised at 5% per day each day after the due date. Essays will not be accepted after the rest of the classs work has been marked and returned. Rewrites will not be permitted on coursework. You are encouraged, though, to consult me whenever you have questions or concerns, and to submit drafts of the research essays for comment before the due dates. Plagiarism of any kind will not be tolerated and will result in disciplinary measures. Memorial University of Newfoundland values academic integrity. Please consult the statement of academic offences printed in the University Calendar (section 5.11.4) Research Resources Research for your essays should range far and wide. Here is a sampling of materials to get your started. 1. All of these books have been placed on Reserve in the QE2 Library, or are available electronically: Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths and Helen Tiffin: - The Empire Writes Back - Post-Colonial Studies: The Key Concepts Ken Gelder and Paul Salzman, After the Celebration: Australian Fiction 19892007 Graham Huggan, Australian Literature: Postcolonialism, Racism, Transnationalism Peter Pierce (ed.) The Cambridge History of Australian Literature 2. Journals devoted to Australian literary and/or cultural studies that our library subscribes to:

Antipodes Australian Book Review Australian Humanities Review (open access) Journal of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature Meanjin Overland 3. Useful article indexes pertaining to Australian literature accessible through the Librarys website: AustLit: The Australian Literature Resource Literature Online (LION) Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature (ABELL) MLA International Bibliography 4. Useful Internet sites: National Library of Australia: Australian Literature Websites list: http://www.nla.gov.au/oz/litsites.html#fulltext Invaluable connection point to a multitude of key sites. AustLit Anthology of Criticism: http://www.austlit.edu.au/anthology This provides a selection of open access articles on several of the authors we are studying. Australian Dictionary of Biography: http://adb.anu.edu.au/ As the website introduction says: concise, informative and fascinating descriptions of the lives of significant and representative persons in Australian history

SETIS: http://setis.library.usyd.edu.au/oztexts/index.html The Library at the University of Sydneys Australian Studies Resources page. Mainly historical materials. To follow Australian current and cultural affairs try: The Monthly http://www.themonthly.com.au/ Australian Broadcasting Commission: http://www.abc.net.au/ The Australian newspaper:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/ The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper: http://www.smh.com.au/

5. MLA guides: MUN Library Website http://www.library.mun.ca/guides/howto/mla.php The OWL at Purdue: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

Schedule 8 September 13 September 15 September 20-27 September 29 September 4-13 October Introduction to the course Australian histories Theoretical grounds Poetry (The Literature of Australia) IN CLASS WRITING Peter Carey, True History of the Kelly Gang No class 11 October due to Fall semester break Sally Morgan, My Place FIRST RESEARCH ESSAY DUE David Malouf, Remembering Babylon Christos Tsiolkas, The Slap Amanda Lohrey, Vertigo SECOND RESEARCH ESSAY DUE

18-25 October 27 October 27 October-3 November 8-15 November 17-24 November 29 November 29 November2 December

Conclusions