Course Catalogue

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This honours course explores the long tradition of Western writing on Iran (historically referred to as 'Persia'). Its coverage spans from classical accounts of the Achaemenid empire, to early-modern and modern travel-writing, Enlightenment literature, and nineteenth-century poetry, and ends with a novel by a contemporary French-Iranian writer. Through the study of these texts, students will be introduced to various facets of Iran's history and culture, as well as gaining a critical perspective on how these have been transformed and instrumentalized in a Western context. 

1x2hr seminar per week over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus. This is one of the Honours options in SMLC and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Comparative Literature, and by arrangement to visiting students r students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

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The standard assessments for this course are:

■ Creative writing exercise (2000 words) - 50%

■ Podcast and annotated bibliography (15 minutes and 500 words) - 50%

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:

■ Essay as alternative to the creative writing exercise. An extension to the deadline can be offered as reasonable adjustment (students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

■ Podcast script of 1500 words and 500-word annotated bibliography as alternative to the podcast and annotated bibliography.

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor. 

This course aims to:  

■ Introduce students to Iranian history and culture. 

■ Enable students to analyse how Iran's history and culture has been transformed and
instrumentalized in a Western context. 

■ Enable students to reflect, through the case of Iran in Western literature, on wider issues pertaining to Orientalism, imperialism, cross-cultural representation, and the transcultural circulation of literature. 

■ Build on students' comparative skills by reading texts from a wide range of historical periods, languages, and literary genres. 

By the end of this course students will be able to: 

■ Discuss significant moments in Iranian history and culture, from the Achaemenid Empire to the present day. 

■ Reflect critically on Western texts' motives and methods for representing Iran 

■ Engage with wider debates pertaining to Orientalism, imperialism, cross-cultural representation, and the transcultural circulation of literature 

■ Undertake research and communicate this research effectively.