ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY

LOYOLA SCHOOLS
COURSE SYLLABUS

LIT 127.2: Third World Literature II (Postcolonial Literature)

Department of English, School of Humanities

A. Course description
This course surveys the literatures of the Non-Western world from the nineteenth century to the present.
Representative literary and theoretical texts from or on Latin America, Asia and Africa will be discussed
according to the following issues: Orientalism and representation, colour and ethnicity, language and
education, resistance, the postcolonial and the postmodern.

B. Learning outcomes
At the end of the semester, students should be able to:
Discuss issues related to Postcolonial literature and culture.
Acquire methods of academic writing and public debate.
Through written and oral output, produce articulated ideas on the subject through oral presentations
and academic papers.

C. Course outline
Week
1 - Nov. 10-14
2 - Nov. 17- 21
3 - Nov. 24-28

4 Dec. 1- 5
5 Dec. 8- 12
6 Dec. 15-19
7 Jan. 5- 9

8 Jan. 12- 16

9 Jan. 19- 23

Topic
General Introduction
Orientalism and Representation
Orientalism, Edward Sad (Introduction and Chapter One)
History, maps and museums :
The Poetics and the Politics of Exhibiting Other Cultures , Henrietta Lidchi in
Hall, Stuart. Representation: cultural representations and signifying practices. London:
Sage Publications /The Open University Press , 1997
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
Part One of Dream Jungle, Jessica Hagedorn
Film: Apocalypse Now, Francis Ford Coppola
Christmas break
Due: first essay on Orientalism and Representation
Colour and Ethnicity
The Souls of Black Folk, W.E.B. DuBois (The Forethought, Chpts. I,II,X, XIV)
Black Skin, White Masks, Frantz Fanon (Introduction and Ch. V)
Filipina Eurogamy: Skin Color as Vehicle of Psychological Colonization, Ronald Hall (Chpts.
I,II,III).
Fagen and Other Ghosts: African-Americans and the Philippine-American War, Rene
Ontal in Shaw, Angel Velasco and Luis H. Francia. Vestiges of war. N.Y.: New York
University Press, 2002.
Due: second essay on Colour and Ethnicity
Language and Education

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10 Jan. 26- 30
11 Feb. 2- 6
12 Feb. 9- 13

13 Feb. 16- 20
14 Feb. 23-27

15 March 2-6

16 March 9-13

17 Mar 16- 20-

18 Mar 23 -27

Minute on Indian Education, Thomas Macaulay in Ashcroft, Bill, Gareth Griffiths, and
Helen Tiffin. The Post-colonial studies reader. London: Routledge.
On the Abolition of the English Department, Ngugi Wa Thiongo in The Post-colonial
studies reader.
Miseducation of the Filipino, Renato Constantino
Film
Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe
Resistance
The Negritude movement: Discourse on Colonialism, Aim Csaire
(www.humanities.uci.edu/critical/Cesaire_Discourse_Colonialism_JPrev.pdf)
Due: third essay on Language and Education
Pramoedya Ananta Toer, This Earth of Mankind
Magic Realism as energy of the margins: chapters from Magical realism: theory, history,
community, Zamora, Lois Parkinson and Wendy B. Faris. Durham, N.C. : Duke
University Press, 2000, c1995
A short story by Gabriel Garcia Mrquez
Fish-Hair Woman, Merlinda Bobis
START OF SENIORS ORAL EXAMS (or the Friday before)
Simultaneous work for non-seniors this week:
1) Fourth essay on Resistance: Due for everyone except the seniors on Friday at 4 pm in
my pigeonhole. For the seniors, fourth essay due date TBA
Postcolonial and Postmodern
2) View on Youtube: Lyrics of Go down, Moses and Redemption Song (Bob Marley),
and the MTV of Do You Remember the Time (Michael Jackson)
The Postcolonial and the Post-Modern, Kwame Anthony Appiah; and
Post-modernism or Post-colonialism Today, Simon During, both found in The Postcolonial studies reader
The Black Atlantic, Paul Gilroy (Chapter One)
Cultural Identity and Diaspora, Stuart Hall in Braziel, Jana Evans and Anita Mannur.
Theorizing Diaspora, A Reader. Blackwell Publishing, 2003.
Briefing for exams
Start of oral exams for non-seniors
Due for everyone except seniors- fifth and last essay on Postcolonial and Postmodern

D. Required readings/References
Refer to the list above.

E. Course requirements
Short essays
Oral exams
Report
Class participation

50 %
20%
20 %
10%
100%

1) The grade for class participation includes ones attendance, active participation in class and general
conduct.
2) Written evaluations
a. All papers are expected to be written as academic essays which suppose a written level of
English (as opposed to an oral level). In such papers, therefore, thesis statements should
exist and then developed in structured and coherent paragraphs and sentences. Lastly, essays
are to conform to the MLA Handbook format. Of course, plagiarism is a major offense (Cf.
Student Guide to the Code of Academic Integrity).
b. Essays should be composed of a minimum of 1200 (five pages), including bibliography and
footnotes, up to a maximum of 1990 words (eight pages), including bibliography and

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c.

1. Structure and
argument

2. Knowledge
and
understanding

3. Use of sources

footnotes. They are double-spaced and typed-written in either Times New Roman or Calibri
12 points. Papers are to be submitted as print-outs on A4 bond paper. Usage of neat scratch
bond papers (e.g., back of old photocopies) is allowed. Unless indicated otherwise, all papers
must be submitted to the teacher personally during class time. Late essays will incur one
letter grade deducted per day late.
Here is the evaluation grid for written works:
A-4 (92-100)
Introduction
lucidly sets out
issues and
methodology.
Introduction
proposes the
student's
argument clearly
and develops it
systematically.
Conclusion
expresses the
student's own
independent
judgment in a
mature way.
Deep and
detailed
knowledge and
understanding.
Sophisticated use
of concepts and
technical terms.
Shows wideranging
awareness of
context, and an
independent
approach to the
issues raised.
Makes interesting
and / or original
connections.
Makes
independent
judgments.
Wide-ranging and
insightful use of
primary and
secondary
sources, at least
some of which
are located by the
student. Excellent
range and depth
of reference to
primary sources.
Engages critically
with evidence in
secondary
sources.

B+ 3.5 (87-91)
Introduction sets
out problem(s)
and method of
approach.
Different
arguments are
presented clearly.
Essay concludes
with a synthesis
that is not just a
summary, and
which shows
some
independence of
view.

B 3.0 (83-86)
An attempted
argument even if
it does not always
flow smoothly,
with a conclusion
which
summarises the
position argued
and shows some
critical awareness
of relevant issues.
Essay is not
always clearly
structured.

C+ 2.5 (79-82)
A discussion of
relevant points in
some order. Deals
with some of the
issues but treats
those issues
superficially and
is too descriptive.
Does not answer
the questions
directly. Does not
come to a
justifiable
conclusion.

C 2.0 (75-78)
An assortment of
points without
apparent
structure.

Good knowledge
and
understanding
with accurate and
wellcontextualised
use of concepts
and technical
terms. Shows
awareness of the
implications of
issues raised.
Shows some
independent
judgment.

Work shows
general
knowledge and
understanding.
Issues are
discussed and
concepts and
technical terms
are used, but not
always
appropriately.

The work shows

Work misses the

Critical use of
sources, showing
ability to make
comparisons
between different
secondary
interpretations,
to quote aptly
and to reference
accurately. Good
range and depth
of reference to
primary sources
and to relevant
critical and
background
material. Full and
accurate

Use of and
reference to
several sources,
though
summarising
rather than
analysing. Based
largely on
secondary
sources and class
notes. Shows
adequate reading
but little
originality.

Limited use of
sources, with
inconsistent
referencing.

Use of lecture
notes and own
opinion without
evidence of
adequate
reading.

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4. Style and
presentation

Excellent
standard of work.
Efficiently and
lucidly written,
without
unnecessary
complication.
Faultless
presentation,
expression and
bibliography.
Carefully wordprocessed with
judicious use of
academic
conventions.

presentation of
references and
bibliography.
Accurate and
lucid expression.
Good standard of
written English.
Clear and correct
presentation with
very few errors of
form or style.
Citations and
bibliography
follow
conventions in
the MLA
Handbook.

Moderately good
standard, though
room for
improvement in
matters of
stylistic
expression and /
or grammar and
punctuation.
Some capacity to
present work
with appropriate
citation and
bibliography.

Needs to be
improved in most
respects. Writing
is
unsophisticated.
A basic
knowledge of
grammar, syntax,
spelling and
punctuation.
Essay is
weakened by
inappropriate or
inaccurate
language.

Inappropriate
style and / or
command of
written English.

3) Oral evaluations
a. The final oral exam will be a one-to-one discussion between the student and lecturer.
b. During the semester, students can choose to present one of the works to be studied.
c. The evaluation grid for oral presentations is the following:
A-4 (92-100)
Deep and detailed
knowledge and
understanding.
Sophisticated use of
concepts and
technical terms.
Shows wide-ranging
awareness of context,
and an independent
approach to the
issues raised. Makes
interesting and / or
original connections.
Makes independent
judgments.
Eloquent and
excellent command of
the language
accompanied by
appropriate body
language. Not only
confident but
pedagogical as well.
Voice is clear.

B+ 3.5 (87-91)
Good knowledge and
understanding with
accurate and wellcontextualised use of
concepts and
technical terms.
Shows awareness of
the implications of
issues raised. Shows
some independent
judgment.
Exhibits a good
command of the
language and
appropriate body
language is
maintained. Looks
confident; voice is
clear.

B 3.0 (83-86)
Manifests general
knowledge and
understanding. Issues
are discussed and
concepts and
technical terms are
used, but not always
appropriately.

C+ 2.5 (79-82)
Shows some
knowledge of the
subject, but the
student has not
identified the key
issues and / or has
handled material
accurately.

Exhibits a fair
command of the
language.

Communication skills
could be improved.

C 2.0 (75-78)
Misses the point.
Question has been
misunderstood and
concepts and
technical terms are
mishandled.
Communication skills
are hampered by
several factors.

F. Classroom policies
1) Readings. Students are expected to have read and prepared for the days activities. It is encouraged
that texts be printed copies (as opposed to electronic ones). During the course of the semester,
additional homework may be assigned and slight modifications in the course programme may be
made in order to adapt to the needs of the class.

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2) Attendance. Students should not exceed nine absences (cf. Handbook Section IV, # 25). There is no
distinction between excused and unexcused absences (Faculty Handbook, III, 1.5.4.2). In case of
extreme cases such as hospitalisation or participation in sports tournaments, please inform the
lecturer and be ready with justified documents.
Further, students who come to class after attendance has been checked will receive a half-cut. Fifteen
th
minutes tardiness is considered an absence. On the 10 cut, the student will automatically be dropped
from the course.
If the lecturer is not in class at the prescribed time, please wait for the next ten minutes. If the teacher
is still absent after this time, students may consider themselves dismissed. However, if the class is
notified of the lecturers time of arrival, most probably through the beadle, please wait until the
designated time, after which students may consider themselves dismissed.
Finally, students should not go out of the class as soon as sessions have started. Instead, they should
make use of the breaks to fetch water or go to the water closet.
In case of class cancellations due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances, please check the
e-group for messages.
3) Gadgets. Phones and other forms of mobile communication must not be used in class. Other
electronic devices such as laptops should only be used with permission from the teacher. If a student
is caught using Facebook or other similar forms of personal communications, he or she will be asked to
step out of the class and will incur an absent mark that day. Picture-taking of lecture presentations are
prohibited.

G. Consultation hours
M-W-F, from 13:30-14:30, English Department, De la Costa Hall
I prefer setting an appointment for consultations. Please reach me through e-mail: [email protected].
Only class beadles will obtain my mobile number. Consider FB communications as inexistent.

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