Literature and Conflict in the 20th Cen.

Uitgebreide vaknaam	Literature and Conflict in the 20th Century
Leerdoelen	Students will - gain knowledge about a variety of past and present cultural contexts in which notions and forms of conflict play important roles (1, 2, 3) - engage actively with these contexts by interpreting and discussing relevant conflict-related works from their fields of expertise in the context frame of the seminar (4, 5, 6) - develop and deepen their ability to analyze and evaluate complex sociocultural and epistemological discourses on conflict by applying different methods of analysis (7, 8, 11, 12) - develop and deepen their ability to conduct and present advanced research on dimensions of conflict in their specific disciplines (13, 16, 17).
Omschrijving	“The basis of every art is conflict”, noted Sergei Eisenstein in 1929, and described the aesthetic as a “transformation of the dialectic principle”. Apart from characterizing a key aspect of artistic composition, this expression is also paradigmatic for a more fundamental reciprocity in the relation of art to life: The aesthetic can be both a source and an indicator of conflicts. As conflict is inherent to artistic production and aesthetic experience, it is also one of the key topics of modern art – at the sociopolitical as well as at the epistemological and philosophical level. In this course, we will investigate ways in which art – in particular literary texts, but also cultural theory, the fine arts, music and film – have reflected on and interacted with some of the crucial social, political, epistemological and philosophical conflicts that shaped Europe throughout the 20th century. A main focus will lie on the century’s first decades, the era of European Modernisms – a time in which literature and cultural theory responded in radical ways to the modern condition, producing unprecedented levels of cultural experimentation. Of special interest in this context will be literary and artistic depictions and cultural analyses of characteristic social and epistemological crises (regarding e.g. industrialisation, alienation, the rise of nationalism, scientific and technical revolutions, but also the so-called “crisis of the ego” (Nietzsche) and of the humanist ideals of rationality and autonomy) which paved the way to the First World War. Subsequently, a second main focus will lie on depictions and interpretations of both World Wars as the overarching European traumata. Finally, we will look at cultural representations of some of the political and cultural dividing lines that dominated the second half of the century, such as the Iron Curtain between the communist East and the capitalist West or the debates on migration and terrorism. Drawing on a wide range of literary and artistic sources as well as theory texts, we will approach these issues in selected case studies and discuss them in a trans-European framework.
Uren per week	3
Onderwijsvorm	werkcollege (with guest lectures)
Toetsvorm	essay, presentatie
Vaksoort	master
Coördinator	prof. dr. P. Valdivia Martin
Docent(en)	dr. V. Alexander ,dr. F.J. Lippert ,prof. dr. P. Valdivia Martin
Verplichte literatuur	Titel Auteur ISBN Prijs To be announced
Entreevoorwaarden	Bachelor obtained and admission to the MA programme (check the degree programme’s Teaching and Examination Regulations)
Opmerkingen	80% Compulsory attendance in seminars. Students are expected to participate actively in discussions during seminars and to duly carry out all assignments in and outside class.
Opgenomen in	Opleiding Jaar Periode Type Ma Interdisciplinaire onderzoekscolleges 1 semester I keuze Ma Letterkunde (Europese L&C / English L&C / Writing, Editing and Mediating)  (Interdisciplinaire Onderzoekscolleges) 1 semester I keuze