School of Humanities  
 
 
AMS-30033 Writing Slavery  
Co-ordinator: Dr Tim Lustig    Room: CBB1.049, Tel:33011  
Teaching Team: Mrs Jayne  Braddick, Dr Tim  Lustig, Miss Jo-Anne  Watts, Mr Jonathan  Bell  
Lecture Time: See Timetable...  
Level: 3 Credits: 15 Study Hours: 150  
School Office: Tel: 01782 733147
 
 
 
Programme/Approved Electives for
American Studies Dual Honours (Level 3)
American Studies Minor (Level 3)
American Studies Single Honours (Level 3)
Available as a Free Standing Elective
No
Barred Combinations
None
Prerequisites
None
Description

The module introduces final year students to three classic slave narratives (Equiano, The Interesting Narrative; Douglass, Narrative of the Life; Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl), two less well-known narratives (by `Box' Brown and Mary Prince), perhaps the first novel by a female slave (Harriet Wilson, Our Nig), two turn of the century autobiographies (by Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois) and one of the great early C20 African American novels, James Weldon Johnson's Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man. The texts are studied in their social and historical context and in the light of recent critical work. Seminars involve the discussion of the primary texts, though there will also be short lectures on key critical ideas and historical contexts. The module offers students the opportunity to produce a substantial piece of written work based on structured preparation and feedback.

Since this is a specialized module at an advanced level, students should have experience of literature modules in the first and second years.
Aims
To study a range of slave narratives, fictions of slavery and African American autobiographies.
To explore key themes and formal patterns in the primary texts.
To study the primary texts in their social and historical contexts.
To study a variety of key critical works and ideas.
Intended Learning Outcomes
Actively participate in KLE discussion group, demonstrating familiarity with and understanding of challenging primary and secondary materials will be achieved by assessments: 01
Plan and prepare assessed work, demonstrating advanced level research skills will be achieved by assessments: 02
Produce a substantial piece of advanced level written work will be achieved by assessments: 03
Actively participate in seminar discussion, making contributions appropriate at this level will be achieved by assessments: 04
Evaluate and interpret advanced level primary sources, showing familiarity with and understanding of such issues as: genre, narrative structure, reading and literacy, audience and the social construction of `race' will be achieved by assessments: 01, 02, 03, 04
Describe and critically apply advanced level secondary sources, demonstrating familiarity with and an ability to critically employ such concepts as: signifying, double voicing, double consciousness, the `black Atlantic' and the master/slave dialectic will be achieved by assessments: 01, 02, 03
Relate primary texts to historical and social contexts, both ante- and post-bellum (for example: the slaveholding system, abolitionism, disfranchisement) will be achieved by assessments: 01, 02, 03, 04
Study hours
11 x two-hour seminars: 22 hours
seminar preparation: 68 hours
essay plan and essay preparation: 60 hours
Description of Module Assessment
01: Webct weighted 20%
KLE discussion thread
In advance of each week's seminar, students share views on the primary text and discuss secondary critical and theoretical source materials. At the end of the module, each student's contributions will be individually graded.
02: Essay-Plan weighted 20%
A guided research preparation exercise (1000 words)
Following consultation with tutor, students produce and receive feedback on: essay title; research question(s); argument and structure of essay; annotated bibliography.
03: Essay weighted 50%
Culminating output for module (3000 words)
Having received feedback on assessment 2, students produce a substantial piece of written work on no more than three of the primary texts.
04: Class Participation weighted 10%
Participation mark for seminars
Participation is assessed according to effort as well as academic ability; i.e., evidence of preparation in response to set seminar topics, readiness to apply the prearation positively in class discussion, and quality of contributions. The tutor will keep a weekly record to support marks awarded. This assessment encourages the development of both individual oral presentation and team-working skills.
Version: (1.05A) Created: 12/Sep/2012

This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.