Course Resources Archive

This module traces the sub-discipline of ecocriticism from its roots in literary criticism of nature writing to its emergence as a self-reflective and distinctive form of literary and cultural criticism. Parallel to this students use their own evolving ecological framework to analyse a range of historical and contemporary texts. 

The module begins by investigating traditional ecocritical themes such as pollution, wilderness, apocalypse, dwelling, animals and the earth in a range of literary works across genres, historical periods and cultures. This is followed by a focus on contemporary cultural artefacts including fiction, creative non-fiction, children’s books, TV programs and film. The aim is to discover how literary texts and other cultural artefacts can provide important and overlooked insights into contemporary ecological issues.

A student passing this module should be able to.

1. demonstrate detailed knowledge of the theoretical development of ecocriticism including discernment of which aspects are most secure/insecure. [SEEC level 5]

2. use a methodology based on ecocriticism to judge the ecological significance of texts, recognising the limitations of the enquiry. [SEEC level 5]

3. identify external expectations, treat these expectations critically, and adapt own performance accordingly [SEEC level 5]

4. develop a personal ecological framework for conducting analysis within, considering the wider goals of enquiry and issues of responsibility [SEEC level 5]

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.