Contemporary English Literature I

Code: LLT11301M

9 ECTS

Duration: 15 weeks/234 hours

Scientific Area: Literature

Teaching languages: Portuguese, English

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English

Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Sustainable Development Goals

4. Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

5. Igualdade de género - Alcançar a igualdade de gênero e empoderar todas as mulheres e meninas.

10. Reduzir as desigualdades - Reduzir as desigualdades dentro dos países e entre eles.

16. Paz, justiça e instituições eficazes - Paz, justiça e instituições eficazes promover sociedades pacíficas e inclusivas par ao desenvolvimento sustentável, proporcionar o acesso à justiça para todos e construir instituições eficazes, responsáveis
e inclusivas em todos os níveis.

Learning Goals

To investigate questions of personal, national and cultural identity in contemporary literature, underpinned by
the notion of place and space and its interactions with society and the self;
To know and to understand the role of literature in the formation of contemporary culture;
To understand the contemporary novel in the context of British culture and society, including the theoretical
approaches that informed and still inform it;
To critically think about the creative process;
To analyse literary texts using appropriate critical terminology and with reference to relevant historical and
critical contexts;
To develop transferable advanced competences and to produce solid arguments in relation to complex
debates and to the proposed materials, and of detailed critical analysis about a variety of texts and documents,
showing, thus, not only an advanced literacy but also research and communication competences.

1. Definition of modern and contemporary literature: for an ethics and an aesthetics of modernity;
2. Literature as a reflex of culture;
3. Narrating the nation;
4. The reinvention of literary paradigms;
5. The exhaustion of concepts;
6. New forms of understanding the literary creation of the self and of the world: modes of innovation and
experimentation;
7. The nature of identity;
8. The role of gender and class;
9. The notion of place, the limits of knowledge and the nature of consciousness: constitutive themes of the
modern and post-modern self.

Teaching Methods

The taught curricular unit is based on in-class seminar sessions, prepared according to previous readings that
will raise debate and encourage dialogue about relevant topics of the syllabus and the full understanding of
pertinent questions regarding the theme proposed. Hence, the autonomous work of the students is highly
recommended as their autonomy regarding research and the development of their capacity of critical analysis.
Lectures by guest speakers about a specific topic of the syllabus might also occur. These lectures will inform
and support the students work.
In accordance with Order No. 34/2026, the use of AI tools is permitted in this course unit to support learning, research, literature review, and the preparation of educational materials, provided that the student critically validates all information and maintains human control over the content produced, thereby constituting a form of analytical research for continuous assessment. In such cases, the student must provide the link to the AI query and the prompt used. Misuse will be treated as academic fraud under Article 119 of the Academic Regulations (Code of Conduct, Fraud and Plagiarism).

Assessment

one written test - 50% + one project work - 50% - continuous assessment
One written exam - 100% - final assessment
Where considered necessary to assess the extent to which the student has acquired the knowledge and developed the competencies prescribed for the curricular unit, the teaching team may require the student to undertake an oral examination, in accordance with Article 110(13) of the Academic Regulations of the University of Évora, subject to the conditions laid down in Article 116(4) and Article 118(1) of the same Regulations. The oral examination will account for [25]% of the final grade for the curricular unit.