ENG5722 - Writing and War

Objectives:

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

(1) demonstrate an understanding of diverse ideologies concerning war, as revealed through a range of literary and other texts, and debate their ethical implications;
(2) analyse the key ways in which the varying experiences of war have been expressed, described, and evaluated across a range of historical periods;
(3) interrogate the ways in which language can constitute a crucial and active element in conflict;
(4) assess the relevance of a range of literary and other texts concerning war to contemporary conflict.

Content:

Students will read a range of poetry, fiction, and non fiction relating to such diverse experiences of war as fear, pride, horror, aesthetic wonder, exhilaration, and ethical abandonment. The texts to be studied will range between Old English works (in translation) to the 21st Century and the course will entail the exploration of thematic strands which transcend historical boundaries. Themes to be addressed may include heroism and cowardice; imperialism and nationalism; justification and objection; strategy and force; individuality and brotherhood; technology and the body; describing and intervening; psychology and command, and the ethical dilemmas of conflict. Underpinning these thematic strands will be two key theoretical components: a) close linguistic analysis of the language of war: politcal spin; jargon, hate-speak; comrade-talk; and the communication of ‘experience beyond words’ and b) the theoretical/rhetorical construction of the ‘enemy’ – either as an ‘inhuman’ entity beyond the borders or as a ‘cancerous’ form hidden within.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Seminars
Contact hours 40
Number of groups 1

Assessment:

001 Essay 1x1500 words (end of sem 1) 30%
002 Essay 1x2000 words (during sem 2) 50%
003 Oral presentation (end of sem 2) 20%
900 Essay x 2000 words 20% weighting (end Sem 2) %


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