Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Course Objectives
The objective of the course is twofold. First, the course will provide students with references about
Australian, Indian, Canadian, and South African cultural history and social realities. Second, the
course aims at developing language-oriented skills, i.e. English for specific (professional) purposes,
both in writing and speaking.
By the end of the course, the students will:
Be able to carry out close readings of texts related to Australia, India, Canada, South Africa.
Be able to understand the position and evolution of the English language in these areas.
Be thoroughly familiar with concepts and references used in the scope of these countries.
Become critically attuned to the links between a language and its peoples.
Become familiar with some expressions, idioms, regionalisms and linguistic conventions char-
acteristic of the countries listed above.
Be able to independently express themselves on professional topics related to their field of ex-
pertise (major) both in writing and orally.
Be able to use academic English, as found in research and scientific articles.
Course Organisation
Theory, 2 ECTS (I. MEURET) will take place in the second term (Mondays, 6 to 8, room H.2215, starting
February 2 and finishing on May 11; no lecture on Monday 30 March).
Exercises, 2 ECTS (J. KEMLO) will take place in the second term (Thursdays, 10 to 12, room UD2.218a).
Note that 1 additional ECTS is allotted for the paper.
Course Evaluation
1) There is no second chance for the assignments. The grade students will obtain at the June ses-
sion for their assignments cannot be improved and will be maintained as part of the final
grade (and also until September in case of a re-sit;
2) Deadlines are non-negotiable: failure to meet the deadline results in 00/20. Students must
hand in their papers in print on Monday 20 April (in class);
3) Students must choose one written assignment, i.e. the research paper or the essay paper. The
guidelines are the following:
- Research paper: the paper is on research in progress, i.e. students are expected to hand in ei-
ther a summary or one chapter of their MA thesis. Students must hand in an abstract (100-
150 words) + 5 to 10 keywords + a 2,000-word paper + a bibliography (MLA or other).
- Essay paper: the paper is a discussion of one particular artefact (film, book, painting, etc.),
person (artist, politician), or event (current issue, controversy) related to one of the coun-
tries under study. The point discussed in the paper must be clearly problematized. This
means that the paper should not simply be a descriptive portrait of a person, or factual ac-
count of an object or event. It must rest on a particular argument. In other words, the topic
must be approached critically. Students must hand in an abstract (100-150 words) + 5 to 10
keywords + a 2,000-word paper + a bibliography (MLA or other).
4) Students must prepare a presentation of their papers, to be delivered in small groups of five
students. A wide range of dates will be offered in May and June. Registrations will be opened
between April 20 and April 30. Students will be invited to sign up on a list posted on the no-
ticeboard, next to office DC11.106. Each session lasts two hours, with five students attending,
i.e. 10 minutes for each presentation followed by 10 minutes of interaction (questions & an-
swers). The presentation is a communication exercise; students are also evaluated on their ac-
tive participation and commitment to the other presentations in the small group.
Course Material
All slides, instructions, documents are available at http://uv.ulb.ac.be.
Academic Integrity
For plagiarism, cheating, falsification, and unapproved collaboration, please see the Facults general
policy at http://www.ulb.ac.be/facs/philo/etudes-reglements.html.
Teaching Methods
Both theory and exercises are organized as two-hour lectures. Students are nevertheless encouraged to
participate actively. Documents and other resources will be posted on the website, either as additional
documentation or as material to read and prepare prior to class.
Contacts
Tutorials
Students whose proficiency in English is low and who fear difficulties for their presentations and the
examination are advised to attend tables de conversation and tutorials (see schedules on the UV).
Dates
Week 21 02.02.15
Week 22 09.02.15
Week 23 16.02.15
Week 24 23.02.15
Week 25 02.03.15
Week 26 09.03.15
Week 27 16.03.15
Week 28 23.03.15
Week 29 30.03.15
Week 30 and 31
SPRING BREAK
Week 32 20.04.15
Week 33 27.04.15
Week 34 04.05.15
Week 35 11.05.15
Schedule and Content (Theory)
The cultural cringe (Phillips, Horne, Hume), in literature and cinema. Prominent theorists and practi-
tioners of postcolonial theory and literature (Ashcroft, Griffiths, Tiffin; White, Grenville). Australian
cinema (Luhrmann, Weir, Elliott) and Ozploitation (ocker comedies, Outback gothic).
WEEK 24 INDIA THE PARTITION
English domination (Mountbatten, Radcliffe); the Partition (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh); Mahatma
Gandhi (Quit India Movement, civil disobedience); Nehru and the non-alignment movement; political
parties (National Congress, BJP); Modi and the 2014 general elections.
India Interrupted: new tech, poverty, gendercide, rape; the caste system; religions.
Country background, symbols, institutions. First Nations; European explorations and immigration.
Multicultural mosaic and official multiculturalism. Reasonable accommodations in Quebec (Bouchard
and Taylor). Survivance and Quiet Revolution.
Bilingualism: English vs. French. Media and digital technology: Marshall McLuhan (The Medium is
the Message; Global Village); Glenn Gould (music and radio documentaries).
Canadian identity in literature (Margaret Atwood), cinema (David Cronenberg), and visual arts (Emi-
ly Carr).
Racial segregation, Sharpeville and Soweto massacres. Nelson Mandela and Steve Biko. Documenting
apartheid in texts (Nadine Gordimer, John Maxwell Coetzee) and images (Cry Freedom, Mandela: Long
Walk to Freedom, Invictus, Drum, The Bang Bang Club).