COURSE UNIT TITLE

: COMPARATIVE LITERATURE II

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
AKE 4022 COMPARATIVE LITERATURE II COMPULSORY 3 0 0 5

Offered By

American Culture and Literature (English)

Level of Course Unit

First Cycle Programmes (Bachelor's Degree)

Course Coordinator

PROFESSOR DOCTOR NILSEN GÖKÇEN ULUK

Offered to

American Culture and Literature (English)

Course Objective

Comparative literature provides possibilities for dialogues between different languages and cultures. Therefore, it has the potential to create a democratic platform on which different cultural norms can be negotiated and appreciated. This course is designed to look into these possibilities and potentials in the selected material from a variety of national literatures. This semester, we will examine the body, one of the most controversial issues of all time, and its differing configurations and representations in the novels written at different times and in different cultures. At the end of this course, in addition to learning the basic theories and concerns of comparative literature, the students are expected to discern how the body has been conceptualized and perceived in its gendered, racial(ized) postcolonial, religious, and animal(ized) materializations.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   Become familiar with the concept and theories of Comparative Literature,
2   Discern the ties Comparative Literature has with worldviews such as Post-colonialism, Multiculturalism, and Feminism,
3   Establish connections and dialogues between the texts of the Western and non-Western canon,
4   Recognize the constructedness of culture through literature and develop sensibilities towards different cultural expressions
5   Develop and maintain critical positions at culturally controversial issues.

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 What is Comparative Literature Lecture and Discussion
2 Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale Bassnet, Introduction: "What is Comparative Literature Today", Chp. 1: "How Comparative Literature Came into Being" Behdad and Thomas, Part I: "Roadmaps." Lecture, Text Analysis and Discussion
3 Kate Chopin, The Awakening Bassnet, chp 2: "Beyond the Frontiers of Europe: Alternative Concepts of Comparative Literature" Behdad and Thomas, Part II: "Theoretical Directions" Student Presentation on: "Karşılaştırmalı Edebiyat" Lecture, Text Analysis, Discussion and Student Presentation
4 Flannery O'Connor, Wise Blood Bassnet, chp 3: "Comparing the Literatures of the British Isles" Behdad and Thomas, Part III: "Disciplinary Intersections" Student Presentation on: Pierre Ancet, Ucube Bedenlerin Fenomenolojisi Lecture, Text Analysis, Discussion and Student Presentation
5 Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things Bassnet, chp 3: "Comparative Identities in the Postcolonial World" Behdad and Thomas, Part V: "Postcolonial Mobilities" Student Presentation on: "Kedi" Lecture, Text Analysis, Discussion and Student Presentation
6 J. M. Coetzee, Disgrace Bassnet, chp 5: "Constructing Cultures: The Politics of Travellers' Tales" Behdad and Thomas, Part VI: "Global Connections." Student Presentation on: "J. M. Coetzee" Lecture, Text Analysis, Discussion and Student Presentation
7 Midterm Exam
8 Philip Roth, The Human Stain Bassnet, chp 6: "Gender and Thematics" Lecture, Text Analysis, Discussion
9 Student Presentation on Adrian Piper: "Passing for White, Passing for Black," in Ginsberg. Student Presentations
10 Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go Bassnet, chp 7: "From Comparative Literature to Translation Studies" Student Presentation on: Pierre Ancet, Ucube Bedenlerin Fenomenolojisi Lecture, Text Analysis, Discussion and Student Presentation
11 Yaşar Kemal, Deniz Küstü Seyhan, chp 1: Introduction: "Novel Moves," chp 2: "Emergence of the Turkish Novel from the Spirit of Cultural Reform" Student Presentation on: "Yaşar Kemal'de Ölüm." Lecture, Text Analysis, Discussion and Student Presentation
12 Elif Şafak, Pinhan Seyhan, chp 3: "Growing Pains of the Nation," chp 4: "Social Responsibility and the Aesthetic Imperative." Student Presentation on: Pierre Ancet, Ucube Bedenlerin Fenomenolojisi Lecture, Text Analysis, Discussion and Student Presentation
13 Bilge Karasu, Gece Seyhan, chp 5: "Istanbul: City as Trope and Topos of Crossed Destinies," chp 7: "Scheherazade's Progeny: The Modern Postmodern Will to Nation" Student Presentation on: "Çiftdilli Yazarlar" Lecture, Text Analysis, and Discussion.
14 Yaşar Kemal, Kuşlar da Gitti Lecture, Text Analysis, Discussion
15 Seyhan, Afterword Student Presentation
16 Fibal Exam

Recomended or Required Reading

Ali Behdad and Dominic Thomas, eds., A Companion to Comparative Literature
Susan Bassnett, Comparative Literature: A Critical Introduction
Azade Seyhan, Tales of Crossed Destinies: The Modern Turkish Novel in a Comparative Context

Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid s Tale
Kate Chopin, The Awakening
Flannery O'Connor, Wise Blood
Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin
Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things
Yaşar Kemal, Deniz Küstü,
J. M. Coetzee, Disgrace
Philip Roth, The Human Stain
Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go
Elif Şafak, Pinhan
Yaşar Kemal, Kuşlar da Gitti
Bilge Karasu, Gece
Haruki Murakami, Sputnik Sweetheart

Pierre Ancet, Ucube Bedenlerin Fenomenolojisi
Elaine Ginsberg, ed., Passing and the Fictions of Identity.
Kitap-lık
"Kedi," v. 96, Jul-Aug. 2006;
"Çiftdilli Yazarlar," v. 98, Oct. 2006;
"Karşılaştırmalı Edebiyat," v. 115, Apr. 2008;
"Yaşar Kemal'de Ölüm," v. 122, Dec. 2008;
"J. M. Coetzee," v. 148, Apr. 2011


Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Lecture
Discussion
Text Analysis
Student Presentations

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MTE 1 MIDTERM EXAM 1
2 FIN FINAL EXAM
3 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE 1 * 0.50 + FIN * 0.50
4 RST RESIT
5 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE 1 * 0.50 + RST * 0.50


Further Notes About Assessment Methods

None

Assessment Criteria

Either the midterm or the final of this course will involve writing a research paper. The minimum criteria in the evaluation of this assignment will be the sensibleness and coherence of the argument, fluency of the development of ideas and thoughts, the quality and range of research, the intellectual level of the analyses and syntheses of the sources, their integration to the main idea, and the success in the accuracy, fluency in the idiomatic usage of language.
The minimum criteria for the in-class exam with essay type questions include the logical associations with the question, coherence and consistency in the unfolding and development of the idea(s), and the accurate and fluent usage of language.
In the quizzes, the questions are tailored to evaluate the student s class preparation for the day; therefore, they will be based on facts in rather than interpretations of the assigned materials.
In all sorts of exams, personal interpretations must be supported by facts and fact-based knowledge on the part of the student.
The grade from class participation will be earned based on the intellectual level of the student s class participation in discussions.
In the presentations the minimum criteria for evaluation are an overall command of material, clarity and succinctness of verbal expression, organization of thoughts and ideas, timing, and the knowledgeableness of the presenting student in answering questions in the ensuing discussion.

Language of Instruction

English

Course Policies and Rules

In order to be able to follow class discussions and lectures, the students must read the required material for the week. Each student is thus expected to be ready to participate in an intellectually stimulating discussion of the texts. In addition, s/he is expected to establish ties between the present and previously introduced material in order to be able to develop a wider perspective on underlying issues.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

Office Phone: 232 301 8678
E-mail: gokcenils@yahoo.com

Office Hours

By appointment

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 14 2 28
Preparation for midterm exam 1 4 4
Preparation for final exam 1 5 5
Preparation for quiz etc. 2 1 2
Preparing assignments 1 5 5
Preparing presentations 1 6 6
Preparations before/after weekly lectures 14 5 70
Final 1 2 2
Midterm 1 2 2
Quiz etc. 1 0,5 1
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 125

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6PO.7PO.8PO.9PO.10PO.11PO.12PO.13PO.14
LO.1555455
LO.2555555
LO.3555555
LO.45555
LO.55555