Teaching Responsibility

LJMU Schools involved in Delivery:

Humanities and Social Science

Learning Methods

Lecture
Seminar
Tutorial
Workshop

Module Offerings

5124ENGL-JAN-MTP

Aims

1. To introduce students to the field of adaptation studies. 2. Building on their existing understanding of postcolonial studies – encountered in ‘Literary and Cultural Theory’ and ‘World, Time and Text’ (both Level 4) as well as, in some cases, other modules – to enable students to critically engage with contemporary literary and non-literary representations of migrants and migration. 3. To enable students to explore intersections between adaptation studies and postcolonial studies.

Module Content

Outline Syllabus:In the first part of the module students will be introduced to key concepts and concerns in the field of adaptation studies as well as to recent debates about representations of migrants and migration (both in the field of postcolonial studies but also in wider discourse). Subsequent weeks will focus on particular works of contemporary fiction about migrants that have been adapted for the screen; in each case, both the adapted literary text and the screen adaptation will be studied. Indicative primary texts include: • Timothy Mo’s Sour Sweet (novel 1982, film 1988) • Hanif Kureishi’s ‘My Son the Fanatic’ (short story 1994, film 1997) • Michael Ondaatje’s The English Patient (novel 1992, film 1996) • Yann Martel’s Life of Pi (novel 2001, film 2012) • Monica Ali’s Brick Lane (novel 2003, film 2007) • Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake (novel 2003, film 2006) • Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner (novel 2003, film 2007) • Andrea Levy’s Small Island (novel 2004, TV film 2009) • Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist (novel 2007, film 2012)
Module Overview:
In this module tools and concepts from the fields of contemporary adaptation studies and from contemporary postcolonial studies will be used to critically examine adapted literary texts and their screen adaptations, and these texts will be used to explore intersections between these fields of enquiry. In particular, you will be encouraged to explore the ways in which adaptations might themselves be considered 'migrants'.
Additional Information:Tools and concepts from the fields of contemporary adaptation studies and from contemporary postcolonial studies will be used to critically examine adapted literary texts and their screen adaptations, and these texts will be used to explore intersections between these fields of enquiry. In particular, students will be encouraged to explore the ways in which adaptations might themselves be considered ‘migrants’.

Assessments

Essay
Centralised Exam