module specification

In this module you will explore postcolonial theory in relation to films and the media. Questions of representations are central to postcolonial studies as well as film and media studies. Drawing upon key concepts of postcolonial theory, you will discuss the question of representation and the reproduction of, or challenges to, dynamics of power in relation to questions of race, gender and class that are grounded in colonial discourses about self and Other. Through the adoption of a postcolonial lens in the analysis of selected films and media products in the Anglophone and Francophone sphere (including television and music), you will be able to identify the broader socio-historical, cultural, economic and political forces shaping narratives and aesthetics of representation. Topics include: colonial discourse analysis; strategies of oppression and oppositional discourses; the notion of nation and nationalism in relation to race and gender; the problems of empire, decolonisation and the postcolonial state.

This module aims to:

• Promote the application of a postcolonial framework to the analysis of films and media, with specific reference to the Anglophone and Francophone cultural production
• Identify and critically engage with the legacy of colonial discourses in narratives and aesthetics in films and media
• Enhance a critical understanding of the socio-political and cultural context within which films and media emerge and circulate
• Enhance students’ research skills and abilities to critically analyse films and media

We reserve the right to close optional modules due to low student uptake.

This module explores key themes in postcolonial theory and their application to the analysis of narratives and aesthetics in films and the media.

After an initial introduction to the most important topics in postcolonial studies, weekly sessions will address each and every one of such issues through the examination of specific films and media texts.

Topics may include the question of language in postcolonial theory and colonial discourse analysis, and how they are reflected in films and media (LO 1,2), as well as the problem of description in colonial cinema (LO 1, 2, 3). Students will study narratives of resistance in films and other media (including TV and music)  (LO 1, 2, 3, 4) and will focus on the centrality of context in the production and circulation of postcolonial films and media, in particular the impact of socio-political, cultural and economic context on the production of films (LO 3, 4).

Other topics may include the idea of the nation and its others – narratives of inclusion and exclusion (LO 2, 4); race, gender and constructions of belonging (LO 2,3); the question of diaspora and diasporic media, processes of decolonisation and the postcolonial state (LO 1, 2, 4). Finally, the module will focus on the application of a postcolonial lens to contemporary films and media (LO 1,2,5)

The module, which consists of 15 weeks, includes a programme of 12 weekly taught sessions and 3 assessment weeks.

Teaching methods include formal lectures, seminar discussions, screenings, blended learning and students’ guided independent study. Students are expected to attend lectures and seminars, and to participate in class discussions, which at times will be conducted in small groups. Class activities will include the close reading and discussion of selected texts.

Student will enhance their learning and research skills by conducting independent research. Assessments tailored around individual student case studies provide students with the opportunity for primary research and planning in a developmental assessment strategy through to their final essays.

Students’ learning experience will be supported through the use of a blended learning environment, which facilitates communication between students and tutors, and allows students to develop collaborations. The Virtual Learning Environment (Weblearn) will be also used to integrate additional learning materials available online from research journals, research institutions and professional organisations

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

(1) Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts in postcolonial theory
(2) Successfully engage in the critical analysis of films and media through a postcolonial lens
(3) Demonstrate skills and ability to critically assess the broader historical and socio-political context within which films and media are produced and circulate
(4) Identify the persistence of, and challenge to, colonial system of thoughts in narratives and aesthetics of films and media, especially in relation to narratives around the nation and national boundaries, and questions of race and gender
(5) Demonstrate their ability to initiate and develop research into postcolonial cinema by researching a film or medium of their choice

https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/B3F348C4-02FC-A0F2-E871-B223AA15588F.html