BA English Literature and History

This course addresses issues of nationhood and identity in British and Irish writing since the 1920s, including recent works by postcolonial writers. The content ranges across a wide geographical area and covers a broad spectrum of literary styles, themes and narrative voices. While the primary focus is on selected works of fiction and poetry, the course also examines key concepts in literary and cultural theory. Authors discussed include Sebastian Barry, Mohsin Hamid, Nikita Lalwani, Andrea Levy, Sam Selvon, Kamila Shamsie and Irvine Welsh.

• To develop an understanding of theories of nationhood, the colonial and the post-colonial in a literary context;


• To develop the skills to analyse literature in its historical and cultural contexts;


• To develop the ability to work between literary texts and theories, and across different literary genres, with particular reference to 20th century and 21st century literature;


• To foster skills of written and oral forms of expression, and of critical and analytical thinking, at a level appropriate to Level 2 of an English Studies degree.

On completion of the course, students should be able to demonstrate:

• A knowledge of theories of nationhood, the colonial and post-colonial in a literary contexts;


• An ability to analyse texts in their historical and cultural contexts;


• An ability to relate literary theories to different literary genres, with particular reference to 20th century and 21st century literature;


• An ability to present work which is characterised by analytical thought and sustained, coherent argument, in written and oral forms, at a level appropriate to Level 2 of an English Studies degree.

Please see recommended reading

Markandaya, Kamala. The Nowhere Man (Small Axes, 1972; 2019)

Levy, Andrea. Small Island (Headline, 2004)

Selvon, Sam. The Lonely Londoners (Penguin, 2006)

Hamid, Mohsin. Exit West (Penguin, 2017)