Postgraduate Autumn modules

Literature

Literature

Twentieth-Century British and Irish Literature

This description is for the postgraduate level Yorkcourse.

40N0119

Introduction

The twentieth century was the century in which urbanisation and mechanisation reached a new peak. It was the century in which the power of science and industry were applied to two world wars and to genocides that eradicated the difference between soldier and civilian, innocent and guilty. The literature of the time is deeply engaged in such struggles. Strikingly polarised in style between the realistic and the experimental, the works of writers such as Joyce, Eliot, Yeats, Woolf and Orwell take their sides in the conflict between elitism and democracy, humanity and inhumanity, commitment and alienation.

We are the heirs of their struggles.

Aims

• Literary: to use a mixture of close reading and plot analysis to explore the different writing styles of the twentieth century and their purpose.
• Historical/political: to examine the human cost of the World Wars and the reactions to the downfall of Britain as an imperial power.
• Sociological: to explore the changes in morality over the period, particularly the struggle for women’s social and political rights.
• Cultural: to experience how the movements of the time are reflected in the art and music of the day.

Learning outcomes/objectives

• To acquire knowledge of the major styles and trends of twentieth century literature.
• To appreciate the cultural reaction to some of the most traumatic events of the twentieth century.
• To understand some of the major social shifts that occurred since 1910.
• To realise how multi-faceted and interlocking the cultural and historical movements of the twentieth century are.

Assessment

This module is assessed by a 5000 word essay. The deadline for the final submission of essays is early in January.

Formative: During the teaching period, you will be required to submit a detailed annotated bibliography and essay plan, two part drafts and a full draft of your essay to the module convenor for feedback.  You will receive written comments on each of these within 2 weeks of submission. Further feedback will be provided during five one-to-one tutorials which will be evenly spaced throughout the semester. These are designed to help you with the skills needed to successfully conduct individual and original MA-level work/research.

Summative: You will receive written feedback on your summative assessment within 20 working days of submission.   This is normally sent via email.  You are welcome to discuss this written feedback with the module convenor, your pastoral supervisor, the YorkCourse Co-ordinator and/or the NSC Director.

Core texts

• Joyce: ‘The Dead’
• Woolf: Mrs Dalloway
• Beckett: End Game
• Ishiguro: The Remains of the Day

You will be required to research the topic of your essay for yourself using a mix of up-to-date textbooks, specialised books and journals.  You will receive training in finding and using academic resources in the weekly separate compulsory research training seminars.

Workload

This module should equate to about 200 hours study.   Weekly seminars are compulsory.   You will also be offered compulsory one-to-one tutorials during the course where you will be able to discuss your essay in detail.

In addition there are a number of compulsory sessions on research training (including using the library, writing essays and referencing).

Full details of the timetable will be given to you at the start of the course.

The remainder of the time should be spent completing individual study/research and ensuring you are fully prepared for lectures and seminars.

In addition there are a number of optional lectures which you may choose to attend along with other students in the Department of English and Related Literature.  We strongly advise you to attend these where possible, even where they discuss texts which are not on your reading list.

Linguistics

Linguistics

The History of English: York's Tale

This description is for the postgraduate level YorkCourse.

40N0134

Background

This module critically explores the nature and causation of language variation and change throughout the history of English, using the sights, sounds and texts of, from and about the modern and historic city of York. This unusual and creative case study will allow us to systematically discover things for ourselves, to create original academic arguments, and to challenge the traditional narratives of the History of English. Throughout the module we will use a truly interdisciplinary approach, drawing on scientific linguistics as well as the traditional humanities and social sciences, which means the module should have broad appeal.

Module description

This module is primarily about the historical development of the English language, which is usually told as the story of the development and spread of Standard Southern British English. This traditional narrative is challenged throughout the module and retold through the lens of the non-standard northern City of York. You should be prepared to analyse different texts each week, and to make various field trips around York to discover things for yourselves, as well as to read widely in the established academic literature. The module will be assessed via an individual essay of 5000 words on a topic of your choice related to the module.

Course aims

The main aims of the module are to:

• To provide you with an overview of the development of English at various stages of its development from Old English to the present day. This overview will be discussed within a framework of ideas about the causation and progress of linguistic change and the origins of sociolinguistic variation.
• To develop your abilities in the linguistic analysis of modern and historical texts. You will be required to read and analyse materials from different stages of English for presentation and discussion in seminars.
• To equip you with the knowledge and skills to describe linguistic changes and produce critical accounts of the factors involved in these changes.
• To explore, and help you learn to read, scholarly literature on language change, the history of English, and sociolinguistic variation.
• To allow you to experience and develop key skills of IT, communication and learning how to learn.

Learning outcomes/objectives

By the end of the module you should be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the historical development of a few historically central, specific areas of phonology, morphology and syntax in the History of English, and provide examples from texts with a connection to the City of York.
2. Show understanding of different types of language change and analyse the role of language internal and language external factors in these changes.
3. Interpret different historical sources as evidence for different stages of the English language and for processes of language change, and understand the issues and problems in doing so.
4. Read scholarly articles in linguistics and understand the key points of the article.
5. Relate your own research interests to results in published articles, and write about the connection in readable academic prose.

Assessment

The course is assessed by a 5000 word essay on a topic of your choice related to the course.

Course materials

You will be given a detailed reading list at the start of the course, but you might find the following texts useful for background:

History of English

Any general history of English textbook will cover many of the themes which will be explored during the module. Examples include the following (note that many of these are available as e-books via the University of York library and many of them have earlier or later editions than those listed below – all editions are useful):

• Barber, C. L. (2000) The English Language: a Historical Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University
• Crystal, D. (2004) The Stories of English. London: Penguin.
• Gramley, S. (2012) The History of English. London: Routledge.

Language Variation and Change/Sociolinguistics

You might also consider finding out more about sociolinguistics. The following textbooks are a good starting point:

• Chambers, J.K. (2003). Sociolinguistic Theory [2nd Edition]. Oxford: Blackwell.
• Mesthrie, R., Swann, J., Deumert, A., & Leap, W. (2009) Introducing sociolinguistics [2nd edition]. Edinburgh University Press.
• Meyerhoff, M. (2007). Introducing sociolinguistics. Abingdon: Routledge
• Wardhaugh, R. (2006). An Introduction to Sociolinguistics [5th Edition]. Oxford: Blackwell.

Northern English

The module covers the language, history and culture of northern England, with a particular focus on York. You might therefore find the following texts useful for the social/cultural/historical context:

• Groom, B, (2022) Northerners: A history from the ice age to the present day. Harper Collins: London
• Wales, K. (2006). Northern English: A social and cultural history. Cambridge University Press.

Workload

This module should equate to about 200 hours of study. You are expected to attend all assigned lectures and seminars, and attendance will be monitored.  You will also be offered one-to-one consultation slots during the course where you will be able to discuss your essay in detail.

Full details of the timetable will be given to you at the start of the course.

The remainder of the time should be spent completing individual study/research and ensuring you are fully prepared for lectures and seminars.

Culture

Culture

Stories of Power

This description is for the postgraduate level YorkCourse.

40N0125

Introduction

Since the Global Financial Crisis in 2008 we have collectively faced a much darker world. In several countries the politico-economic consensus of the last forty years has collapsed and, generally speaking, a drift to authoritarian and xenophobic politics has come in its place. This module helps explain how we got here, and starts to give an idea of the challenges we face in the future.

It does this from the perspective of institutional political economy. In short, institutional political economy is a framework that holds that politics (and the struggle for power inherent in politics) creates law, and law creates the economic system in which individuals act. The economy (or "market") then is not separate to politics and the state, but intimately entwined with both. The shape of the economy too will continually be subject to change, rather than running on universal laws. Thankfully, this position is in contrast to orthodox economics (so there's no need for number-crunching) and instead draws upon literature from political science, sociology, economics, history, and legal studies, among others.

Course Organisation

This course is primarily be taught through a mixture of lectures and seminars. In addition, popular films and documentaries are used in relevant weeks.

1. Political Economy and Economic Theory

This section serves as an introduction to both political economy and to distinct economic ideologies. The main point is show that the exploration of economic issues need not been abstract, mathematical and scary, but, instead, can be grounded in everyday experience and needs to involve a consideration of politics. This section sets the theoretical backdrop for our consideration of the rest of the course.

2. Crisis and Austerity

This section explores the origins of, and political response to, the Global Financial Crisis. This section sets the historical backdrop for our consideration of contemporary events.

3. Inequality and Corporate Power

Here we explore two well-established trends of political economy that have intensified since 1979 (and perhaps even more so post-2008). Inequality, in its several forms, will be investigated, as will the influence of corporations on politics, and the problematic relationship between capitalism and democracy more broadly.

4. The Free Market, and the Environment

Finally, we look to the future of the political economy. Two main problems are explored. Firstly, we tackle the nature of the global economy and how it has been constructed. Secondly, we explore the political economic challenge of the globe's ecological and environmental problems.

Assessment

This module will be assessed by an essay of 5000 words in length on a topic of your choice relating to the course. You will write a draft version of this essay and receive detailed comments from your tutor before reworking the essay for final submission. The final essay will be due in late May.

Reading

A week-by-week reading list is provided at the start of the course, and a larger annotated bibliography will be available for research essays. The best book for the foundational weeks of the course, and for getting a sense of the content of the course, is H.J. Chang, Economics: The User's Guide.

Workload

This module should equate to about 200 hours of study. You are expected to attend all assigned lectures and seminars, and attendance will be monitored. You will also be offered one-to-one consultation slots during the course where you will be able to discuss your essay in detail.

Full details of the timetable will be given to you at the start of the course.

The remainder of the time should be spent completing individual study/research and ensuring you are fully prepared for lectures and seminars.