106-456 Colonial/Postcolonial Visual Cultures

Formerly available as 106-098. Students who have completed 106-098 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

Usually admission to the postgraduate diploma or fourth year honours in English, see Honours entry.

In this subject students study the practice of displaying human 'curiosities' that formed part of London's show scene in the mid-19th century. They also study cinematic works from the late colonial and postcolonial periods, using theory and criticism that dissects the representational conventions and habits of looking associated with racism, exoticism, orientalism and primitivism. On completion of the subject, students will have the skills needed to critically analyse and interpret the visual displays and cinematic works that have functioned to both sustain and resist Euro-American imperialisms. They will also have experience of workshopping film sequences.

Seminar participation and paper-presentation equivalent to 1000 words 10% (during the semester) and an essay of 4000 words 90% (due at the end of semester).