Prospectus

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Methods of Cultural Analysis and Critical Readings

Course
2014-2015

Admission requirements

Undergraduate degree (BA/BSc)
Advanced level in Spanish (C1-C2). Students with an advanced knowledge of Portuguese and a passive knowledge (reading and oral comprehension) of Spanish will be accepted.

Description

This seminar will train students in some of the basic methodologies of cultural analysis. We will discuss some of the tools that can help in the analysis of texts and images. Students will become familiar with the basics of discourse analysis that we will apply to the analysis of film, images, art and literary and non literary texts. Rhetoric, theories in argumentation and narration, among others, can help develop skills in close-readings. With the help of practical exercises students will learn how to approach and analyze cultural (linguistic and visual) objects.

Reflecting teaching staff’s broad research interests, this team-taught course will consider an array of written texts from different genres as well as visual texts, drawing on the rich diversity of cultural contexts across Latin America.

Course Objectives

To develop students’ critical and analytical skill through close reading of a wide range of texts (written and visual);
To provide an insight into a variety of critical approaches.
Develop students’ critical and analytical skills and presentation skills.

Timetable

Timetable

Mode of Instruction

Lectures and Seminars

Course load

10 EC = 280 hours in total.

  • Hours spent on attending lectures and seminars: 30 hours

  • Time for studying the compulsory literature: 80 hours

  • Time for completing assignments, writing essay:170 hours

Assessment method

Class presentations 20%, exercises 40% and final essay 40%. of overall mark
Re-sit: final essay 40%.

Blackboard

Yes: Blackboard

Reading list:

A reading list will be issued to enrolled students in due course.

Registration

uSis

Contact

Mw. Dr. Sara Brandellero
Mw. Dr. Nanne Timmer

Remarks

Minimum 80% attendance required in order to complete the course.