Anglophone Cultural Studies Ii
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The main goal of Anglophone Cultural Studies II is to provide the methodological tools of cultural studies and apply them to understand and analyse cultures present in English-speaking countries.
To this end, the course aims to enable students to:
- strengthen their theoretical background and examine in depth a set of cultural practices and productions by adopting the methodological approach of cultural studies and post-colonial studies applied to the Anglophone contexts, with a view to interculturalism;
- read, analyse and interpret texts and cultural practices and productions related to the Anglophone contexts;
- understand the historical, political, social and cultural background related to the cultural practices studied;
- understand the dynamics of power, subalternity and resistance in English-speaking countries during Post-colonialism and Neocolonialism, as well as their current international relations.
To this end, the course aims to enable students to:
- strengthen their theoretical background and examine in depth a set of cultural practices and productions by adopting the methodological approach of cultural studies and post-colonial studies applied to the Anglophone contexts, with a view to interculturalism;
- read, analyse and interpret texts and cultural practices and productions related to the Anglophone contexts;
- understand the historical, political, social and cultural background related to the cultural practices studied;
- understand the dynamics of power, subalternity and resistance in English-speaking countries during Post-colonialism and Neocolonialism, as well as their current international relations.
Expected learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- use the language and skills of cultural studies and post-colonial studies applied to the Anglophone contexts, in line with the professional profile to be trained during the three-year programme;
- use cultural skills to develop an aptitude for inclusion practices;
- analyse, summarise and compare cultural practices and productions in the Anglophone contexts studied;
- produce short written texts and oral presentations, in Italian or English, about the topics studied in class, using trustworthy sources;
- make intercultural and interdisciplinary connections, in line with the professional profile to be trained during the three-year programme;
- apply the skills and working methods acquired to related fields of investigation, future job opportunities and intercultural communication;
- apply the methodological tools acquired to critically analyse the present.
- use the language and skills of cultural studies and post-colonial studies applied to the Anglophone contexts, in line with the professional profile to be trained during the three-year programme;
- use cultural skills to develop an aptitude for inclusion practices;
- analyse, summarise and compare cultural practices and productions in the Anglophone contexts studied;
- produce short written texts and oral presentations, in Italian or English, about the topics studied in class, using trustworthy sources;
- make intercultural and interdisciplinary connections, in line with the professional profile to be trained during the three-year programme;
- apply the skills and working methods acquired to related fields of investigation, future job opportunities and intercultural communication;
- apply the methodological tools acquired to critically analyse the present.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Title of the course: Narrating migrations.
Description of the course: The course aims to focus on the representation of migration experiences through narratives. It combines cultural studies, postcolonial studies and gender studies, also addressing to the dimension of memory. Various types of texts, novels, essays, public speeches, interviews, photographs and poems will be examined. In particular, through two central figures of the Anglophone context such as Abdulrazak Gurnah and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, we will explore issues concerning identity and displacement; feminism and racism; shame and resilience.
The course is addressed to students in Cultural and linguistic mediation and enables them to acquire 6 credits.
Description of the course: The course aims to focus on the representation of migration experiences through narratives. It combines cultural studies, postcolonial studies and gender studies, also addressing to the dimension of memory. Various types of texts, novels, essays, public speeches, interviews, photographs and poems will be examined. In particular, through two central figures of the Anglophone context such as Abdulrazak Gurnah and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, we will explore issues concerning identity and displacement; feminism and racism; shame and resilience.
The course is addressed to students in Cultural and linguistic mediation and enables them to acquire 6 credits.
Prerequisites for admission
Students must have passed the Anglophone Cultural Studies I exam. A good knowledge of English is required.
Teaching methods
The course will consist of lectures. Students will be encouraged to participate actively in discussions on the topics and texts included in the syllabus.
Teaching Resources
General bibliography:
Salman Rushdie, "Imaginary homelands" (essay available on the website of the course)
Edward Said, "Reflections on exile" (essay available on the website of the course)
Nicoletta Vallorani (ed.), Introduzione ai Cultural Studies (chapter 1 and chapter 5).
Part I: Departures and arrivals
Abdulrazak Gurnah, By the Sea (some parts of the novel will be indicated and examined)
Abdulrazak Gurnah, "The Arriver's Tale" in Refugee Tales (short story available on the website of the course)
Abdulrazak Gurnah, "Writing and Place" (essay available on the website of the course).
Audiovisual materials (online):
"Writing forces you into clarity": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-qqdWHuP7k
"Zanzibar is still home for Abdulrazak Gurnah": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGCD9vlvQfs
"Writing memory": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJAGK6gy8rk
Progetto fotografico di Mario Badagliacca "Letters from the CIE (2013)":
https://www.mariobadagliacca.com/letters_from_the_cie_2013-r11693
https://www.mariobadagliacca.com/letters_from_the_cie-w3798.
Part II: Departures and homecomings
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah (some parts of the novel will be indicated and examined)
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, "The Thing around your Neck" (short story available on the website of the course).
Audiovisual materials (online):
TED Talk "The danger of a single story": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg
TED Talk "We should be all feminists": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg3umXU_qWc.
Warsan Shire, "Home": https://www.amnesty.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/home-by-warsan-shire.pdf.
The website of the course is online on the myAriel platform (http://myariel.unimi.it): students will be able to download materials and slides. The website also contains general information on the course and is continuously updated.
Salman Rushdie, "Imaginary homelands" (essay available on the website of the course)
Edward Said, "Reflections on exile" (essay available on the website of the course)
Nicoletta Vallorani (ed.), Introduzione ai Cultural Studies (chapter 1 and chapter 5).
Part I: Departures and arrivals
Abdulrazak Gurnah, By the Sea (some parts of the novel will be indicated and examined)
Abdulrazak Gurnah, "The Arriver's Tale" in Refugee Tales (short story available on the website of the course)
Abdulrazak Gurnah, "Writing and Place" (essay available on the website of the course).
Audiovisual materials (online):
"Writing forces you into clarity": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-qqdWHuP7k
"Zanzibar is still home for Abdulrazak Gurnah": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGCD9vlvQfs
"Writing memory": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJAGK6gy8rk
Progetto fotografico di Mario Badagliacca "Letters from the CIE (2013)":
https://www.mariobadagliacca.com/letters_from_the_cie_2013-r11693
https://www.mariobadagliacca.com/letters_from_the_cie-w3798.
Part II: Departures and homecomings
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah (some parts of the novel will be indicated and examined)
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, "The Thing around your Neck" (short story available on the website of the course).
Audiovisual materials (online):
TED Talk "The danger of a single story": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg
TED Talk "We should be all feminists": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg3umXU_qWc.
Warsan Shire, "Home": https://www.amnesty.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/home-by-warsan-shire.pdf.
The website of the course is online on the myAriel platform (http://myariel.unimi.it): students will be able to download materials and slides. The website also contains general information on the course and is continuously updated.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The examination consists of an interview on the topics in the syllabus, aimed at verifying that the candidates have achieved an adequate level of competence regarding some general theoretical issues, the specific historical and geographical contexts, the texts examined and their languages. Property of expression and the ability to make connections between texts, authors and contexts will also be assessed.
L-LIN/10 - ENGLISH LITERATURE - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Brazzelli Nicoletta
Professor(s)