ENG-2123 | UiT

Application deadline

Applicants from Nordic countries: 1 June for the autumn semester and 1 December for the spring semester.

Exchange students and Fulbright students: 15 April for the autumn semester and 1 October for the spring semester.

Type of course

This course may be taken as a single course. A good command of oral and written English is recommended.

Admission requirements

Higher Education Entrance Qualification (generell studiekompetanse) or prior learning and work experience (realkompetanse).

A good command of oral and written English is recommended.

Application code: 9199 - Enkeltemner (ikke realfag), lavere grad (Nordic applicants).

Course content

As we explore American political satire in print, visual, and electronic media, this course will consider how and why satire matters at particular historical moments. We will examine satire through three main lenses: First, historical contexts in the United States from colonial times to the present; second, approaches to analyzing satire in various media. These include close readings as well as insights provided by recent performance theories. Third, we consider satire as cultural critique: Does satire contribute to political understanding and engagement or does it encourage cynical withdrawal?

Objectives of the course

After the end of the course, the students have the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge:

of historical continuity and change in American national identity.
of America's relationship to the world.
of the role of conformity, dissent, and diversity in American culture.

Skills:

The student has

strengthened his/her critical thinking ability.
developed insight into the cultural, historical, political, economic, and psychological factors that shape public opinion in a modern democracy.
developed competence in explaining ideas, orally and in writing, succinctly and coherently.
improved his/her ability to support opinions with a close reading of texts.
developed media literacy.
improved writing and speaking skills in English.

Language of instruction and examination

Language of instruction and examination: English.

Teaching methods

13 weeks of teaching and academic supervision (in tutorials and/or email feedback where needed). Teaching includes lectures, seminars, discussions led by students, student presentations, and tutorials (by appointment).

Quality assurance: The course undergoes a midterm evaluation or an end-of-term evaluation every third year.

Assessment

Coursework requirements:

One response paper (about 3 pages due midway through the semester).
A short presentation where the student leads a discussion of a text (about 5-10 minute student presentation followed by class participation).
One rough draft for the end-of-term paper (about 5-10 pages due toward the end of the semester).

Note: The teacher must approve all three requirements before the student can submit the end-of-term paper.

Assessment method:

One end-of-term paper (up to 10 pages, 1.5 line spacing in 12-point font).

Performance in the course will be assessed with the grades A-F. Grades are A-E for passed and F for failed. A re-sit examination is offered in the event of an F-grade. The deadline to register (in the Studentweb) for re-examination is January 15th for the autumn semester and August 15th for the spring semester. In the event of a re-sit examination, the student is allowed to submit a revised version of his/her end-of-term paper within a given deadline.

spring 2019 ENG-2123 Political Satire as Cultural Critique - 10 ECTS