ENGLISH 204 : Pacific Literature in English

Arts

2022 Semester Two (1225) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

An introduction to contemporary Pacific Literature exploring texts from canonical Pacific writers to spoken word performance poets. Texts will be examined in light of recent theories in Indigenous Writing Studies, with a focus on crossings of cultural and creative borders, diaspora and identity.

Course Overview


This course considers recent Pacific literature written in English by authors whose work is characterised by multiple crossings of cultural, political, gendered and geographical borders—crossings particularly acute for writers who are connected in some way by genealogical and ancestral ties to Māori and Pacific communities, but write from other places.

To this end, students will consider the following questions:

  • What are the distinct features of Pacific literature in New Zealand and other regions of the Pacific?
  • In what ways does this literature reflect and expand wider global trends in diasporic writing?
  • How and why have writers reframed their Pacific identities?
  • How and why do they negotiate social and cultural tensions within and between their own communities?
  • How and why have writers reflected, challenged and redefined stereotypes about their own communities
Students will learn how to contextualise and critique Pacific creative writing and performance.

There are three genres covered in this course: Poetry, Young Adult Fiction and Short Story. Six texts are required for this course and study of all genres is required to fulfil assessment criteria.


Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 30 points at Stage I in English, or 15 points at Stage I in English and PACIFIC 100

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of ways in which the theory and practice of postcolonial writing has been conceptualised and understood by writers and scholars working in this field (Capability 1.1)
  2. Critically evaluate a range of genres, including poetry, short fiction, and young adult fiction (Capability 4.2)
  3. Understand and explain a range of colonial and postcolonial discourses from the Pacific, and will have explored issues arising from colonisation, independence, and diasporic migration in these areas. (Capability 6.1)
  4. Demonstrate how to contextualise postcolonial writing in terms of its historical and geographical specificities, and develop their knowledge and understanding of selected themes, enabling them to define and carry out an independent piece of research. (Capability 6.2)
  5. Articulate and demonstrate key methodological issues and problems of literary and cultural analysis, enabling them to undertake independent research with confidence. (Capability 2.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Final Exam 40% Individual Examination
Essay 30% Individual Coursework
Assignments 15% Individual Coursework
Assignments 15% Individual Coursework

Next offered

2022 Semester Two 1225

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend approximately 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 3 hours of weekly teaching contact (2 hour lecture, 1 hour tutorial), and 7 hours of individual work, including readings, viewing, writing and exercises.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including tutorials to complete components of the course.

Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.

The course will include live online events including tutorials.

Attendance on campus is required for the exam.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 25/10/2021 11:47 a.m.