SE2581: Utopia: Suffrage to Cyberpunk
| School | English Literature |
| Department Code | ENCAP |
| Module Code | SE2581 |
| External Subject Code | 100319 |
| Number of Credits | 20 |
| Level | L6 |
| Language of Delivery | English |
| Module Leader | Professor William Bell |
| Semester | Autumn Semester |
| Academic Year | 2020/1 |
Outline Description of Module
This course will examine the idea of utopia within the context of ten key twentieth-century texts, beginning with Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Herland (1915) and concluding with Peter Weir’s The Truman Show (1998). Themes to be discussed include technology and ideology, power, gender and utopia, subjectivity and the (post) modern subject, and geographical spaces.
On completion of the module a student should be able to
On successful completion, candidates will have an understanding of the modern utopian tradition, the formal aspects of the genre, and the key issues with which it has grappled since the beginning of the twentieth century. They will also be familiar with a set of theoretical issues with which to approach the tradition, from gender to the postmodern tradition.
How the module will be delivered
The module will be taught through a blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning classes and activities, designed to fulfil the learning outcomes. These will be delivered remotely, and on-campus if the University deems it safe and practicable.
Skills that will be practised and developed
Skills that will be practised and developed include the development of theoretical awareness, analytical ability, and a self-aware approach to the relationship between critical practice and social and political thought.
How the module will be assessed
A blend of coursework and portfolio assessments.
Assessment Breakdown
| Type | % | Title | Duration(hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written Assessment | 100 | Essay | N/A |
Syllabus content
Week 1 Introduction: Theorising Utopia
Engendering Utopia
Week 2 Gilman, Herland
Week 3 Piercy, Woman on the Edge of Time
Week 4 Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale
Utopia/Dystopia
Week 5 Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four
Week 6 Reading week
Week 7 Burgess, A Clockwork Orange
Week 8 Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Utopia and the (Post)modern Subject
Week 9 Gibson, Burning Chrome
Week 10 Film: The Truman Show
Week 11 Eggers, The Circle
Essential Reading and Resource List
Course readings will be made available on Learning Central.
Background Reading and Resource List
Further information about recommended reading will be provided at the start of the module.