The course will consist of lectures (for all participants) in the first period with associated tutorials (2 groups) in the second period.

The aim is to learn to read theoretical texts, some of which are highly
complex, and discover their line of argumentation. An important part of the
effort is to become aware of the historical dialogue in which the theories
are engaged, and to understand how one might take part in it.

The course will touch on the fields of New Criticism, structuralism, Marxism,
psychoanalysis, feminism, poststructuralism, deconstruction, the New
Historicism, cultural materialism, postcolonial and queer theory, as well as
recent developments in ecocriticism and cognitive poetics.

Each student is expected to purchase Hans Bertens: Literary Theory: The
Basics (3rd ed., 2014; available at the university bookstore), which will
provide preliminary reading for each lecture.

In the tutorials, students will work in teams to apply the methods learned
to literary texts and see how readings change according to theoretical
position, broadening one's view of the text. Assessment will be based on
class participation and a process learning diary.