Course Catalogue

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This course explores the relationship between literature and the material operations of Empire by tracing the production and circulation of different commodities as they appear in colonial and postcolonial literary texts, from the nineteenth century, to the present day. Students will examine literary representations of a range of commodities, including foodstuffs, industrial crops, stimulants, textiles, minerals and fuel, reading these items in their specific geo-political contexts and engaging with their attendant histories of human exploitation and environmental degradation. Students will also engage critically with Glasgow's participation in colonial commodity networks via planned research trips.

8 x 2hr seminars over ten weeks as scheduled on MyCampus

2 x 2hr workshops as scheduled on MyCampus

Successful completion of Junior Honours English Literature, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

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The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ Mid-term annotated bibliography (1500 words): 25%  

■ Seminar contribution: 10%  

■ Seminar presentation of 7 minutes: 15%

■ AND EITHER a) Time-limited essay (2500 words) to be completed over a 4-day period: 50% OR b) Essay (3000 words): 50% 

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

■ There are no alternatives to the Mid-term annotated bibliography (1500 words), but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

■ Written self-evaluation reflecting on seminar contribution or written response to seminar material in advance or after seminar as alternative to seminar contribution.

■ Recorded presentation or One-to-one presentation / discussion/Q&A with staff (where presentation would normally be in class) as alternative to the presentation.

■ There are no alternatives to the Time Essay (2500) or Essay (3000), but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

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

This course aims to:

■ explore the ways in which commodities and commodity networks shape both the form and content of colonial and postcolonial literatures

■ examine how nineteenth century class-, race-, and gender-based concepts of morality, civility, etiquette, and superiority were defined by access to and use of commodities obtained from colonial peripheries

■ introduce students to new approaches in postcolonial studies, world-literary studies, and environmental criticism

■ interrogate Glasgow's connections to its colonial past through a planned museum/archival visit 

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

■ reflect critically on the imperial extraction of commodities from colonial and formerly colonial spaces and how these commodity networks have shaped Anglo identity, literature, and culture

■ explain and employ advanced critical approaches to the study of colonial and postcolonial literatures (including new approaches from the environmental humanities, world-systems theory, cultural anthropology, and development economics).

■ Critically assess how museums preserve and produce colonial stereotypes and learn to interrogate Glasgow's colonial legacies

■ analyse the ethical, social, and global responsibilities of the West in light of colonialism's histories of exploitation and violence

■ produce an original research essay using professional standards of referencing and presentation

■ deal with changes and new challenges by applying their disciplinary skills and knowledge to previously unfamiliar research areas and questions.