Survey of Modern Japanese Literature in Translation
- Course Code:
- 155901214
- Unit value:
- 0.5
- Year of study:
- Year 1 or Year 2
- Taught in:
- Full Year
Class time consists of a weekly session, 1.5 hours long, which begins with an introductory lecture, followed by a group discussion on specific texts. Short stories are provided in a coursepack and are required reading. All students MUST come to class ready to discuss them in the group discussions.
Prerequisites
It is designed primarily for year 1 or 2 BA Japanese students, but it could be offered as an open option to students in year 1 or 2 from other BA degrees. All Japanese literary works assigned will be in English translation.Objectives and learning outcomes of the course
At the end of the course, a student should be familiar with the main developments and movements in Japanese literature from 1868 until the present day. By reading a range of novels and short stories, they should become more sensitive to the variety of literary approaches of modern Japanese writers. They will have developed a critical vocabulary with which to discuss literature in general, but they will have become more sensitive to specific cultural differences expressed through Japanese literature. They will also be more confident in participating in class discussions and presenting their opinions in front of other students. This course will also prepare students who might take a literature course during year 3 in Japan, or in year 4 when they return to SOAS.
Workload
Total of 22 weeks teaching with 1.5 hours classroom contact per week. A mixture of formal lectures and student presentations on essays and supplementary texts. Full class participation is expected from students.Scope and syllabus
The course will be taught through a number of approaches. Lectures will provide a thorough background to specific literary movements and particularly important writers in the modern period, as well as alert students to the reader’s own cultural expectations when approaching the distinctive style of modern Japanese literature. An important aim is to set literature within the broader context of Japanese culture and history. All students will be expected to read set literary texts before class, and then discuss them in group discussions in class. This course is taught in English and therefore there is no Japanese language difficulty.
