Mapping the Present

Uitgebreide vaknaam	Mapping the Present: "Posthumanism, bodies, and extinction“
Leerdoelen	- Gain knowledge and understanding of the development and current state of affairs in academic research on contemporary literature and culture, as well as of methods and approaches in the study of space (1, 2, 3) - Be able to contextualize contemporary cultural production across different contexts and disciplines (4, 5, 6) - Have trained and enhanced their intellectual and methodological skills and their capacity to reflect on questions on contemporary culture and space (7, 8, 11, 12) - Have trained and enhanced their capacity of conducting and presenting individual research in the fields of contemporary culture and space (13, 16, 17).
Omschrijving	Floods, freak hail showers, drought, dead bees,waste, infertility, mutations - the contemporary world seems more dystopian than ever before. The present is characterised by a sense of crisis and anxiety: our notion of the future is infused by the threat of dispersed phenomena such as climate change and extinction. This course will explore contemporary strategies of survival and healing for our blue and green planet and its human and non-human inhabitants. How can literature and culture help develop perspectives on life in the Anthropocene? How do we conceive of space and place, and how do these changing conceptions affect our sense of belonging and our desire for growth? We will collaboratively explore spatial and embodied approaches to materiality, posthumanist lifeworlds, drawing on cases from a variety of sources, ranging from literature to film, photography, art and other media and devote special attention to contact spheres such as the garden.
Uren per week	3
Onderwijsvorm	project-based team work, werkcollege (active participation)
Toetsvorm	presentatie, schriftelijke opdracht(en), werkstuk(ken)
Vaksoort	master
Coördinator	dr. V. Alexander
Docent(en)	dr. V. Alexander
Entreevoorwaarden	Bachelor obtained and admission to the MA programme (check the degree programme’s Teaching and Examination Regulations
Opmerkingen	Classes are held online. Students are encouraged to bring their own projects and spaces of interest and explore how the approaches we study may help expand their individual research.
Opgenomen in	Opleiding Jaar Periode Type Ma Interdisciplinaire Onderzoekscolleges 1 semester II keuze Ma Letterkunde (Europese L&C / English L&C / Writing, Editing and Mediating)  (Interdisciplinaire Onderzoekscolleges) 1 semester II keuze