|
Lecturer(s)
|
-
Kalavská Petra, Mgr. Ph.D.
-
Roebuck Olga, Mgr. Ph.D.
|
|
Course content
|
What Is Culture Anyway?? - searching for the way of defining the concept of culture. Who are the British? - nations, symbols and stereotypes. Cuchullin or King Arthur? Myths, legends, tales and fairytales - the sources of mythological imagery, pre-historic and Celtic roots entwined with Christianity; the importance of myths for culture. Identities in general - collective and individual identities. Identification as a strategy. A Class Ridden Society? Gender Identity in Britain - traditional perception of morals, Victorian values and their 1980's recollection. National identity - the empire and the wars + the postcolonial view. Ethnicity and language - the question of multiculturalism and dominance. Regions and regional identities in England, North and South divide. Film extract: from David Cataneo's Full Monty. The media - exploring the media influence and ideology, discussing quality of media information. Attitudes: stereotypes and change - dealing with the attitudes traditionally ascribed to the British, such as conservatism, "being different", public spiritedness etc. Subcultures - focusing on the so-called countercultural phenomena, exploring "resistance through rituals".
|
|
Learning activities and teaching methods
|
|
Monologic (reading, lecture, briefing), Dialogic (discussion, interview, brainstorming), Work with text (with textbook, with book)
|
|
Learning outcomes
|
This seminar enables its participants to get acquainted with various aspects of British culture and cultural studies. Target cultural aspects are explored on the basis of comparison with students´ own cultural background so that apart from building up factual knowledge, the participants increase their own cultural awareness. Another goal of the seminar is strengthening academic skills such as leading a discussion based on seminar readings, academic writing, individual project work etc.
The course enables students to develop their comparative and communicative abilities and their intercultural competence.
|
|
Prerequisites
|
unspecified
|
|
Assessment methods and criteria
|
Student performance assessment
Attendance A knowledge-based test -up to 50% of the final credit is given for a knowledge-based test stemming from the readings and discussion done in class = 16 hours of preparation
|
|
Recommended literature
|
-
BRANTLINGER, P. Crusoe's Footprints. London: Routledge, 1990.
-
BRYSON, B. Notes from a Small Island. London: Black Swan, 1996.
-
CROWTHER, J. Guide to British and American Culture. Oxford: OUP, 2000.
-
DERRY, T.K. AND BLAKEWAY, M.G. The Making of Early and Medieval Britain. London: John Murray, 1973.
-
GAY, P. Identity: a reader. London: Sage Publications, 2000.
-
O'DRISCOLL, J. Britain. Oxford: OUP, 2000.
-
STORRY, M. AND CHILDS, P. British Cultural Identities. London: Routledge, 1997.
-
WILLIAMS, R. Keywords. London: Fontana Press, 1988.
|