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The course discusses changes in the American society after 9/11/2001, especially when different ideological concepts are taken into account. We will explore the extent to which different ideological and philosophical concepts have influenced post-9/11 American society, its culture and literature. The authors to be discussed include Don DeLillo, Paul Auster, Susan Sontag, John Updike, Josef Joffe and New York based French philosopher Jacques Derrida. Weekly readings are limited to ca. 20 pages (with an exception of four novels). Discussions in class are more than welcomed. The language of instruction is English. Poslední úprava: Lochmanová Sára, Mgr. (31.01.2024)
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The main goal of this subject is to introduce topics and points of discussion that American literature and society have defined in texts following and related to the most important historic date of the 21st century in the USA, that is 9/11/2001. Another goal of the subject is to improve students' speaking and critical argumentation skills. Poslední úprava: Lochmanová Sára, Mgr. (31.01.2024)
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- regular attendance (max. 3 absences per term) - homework and activity in classes (discussions will be held on the texts which the students will be required to read before each class) - term essay (4 pages; 1200 words)
The final grade will be awarded on the following system: - 30% attendance - 20% activity in classes - 50% term essay Each of the above mentioned criteria will be assessed from A to F, and the final grade will be constructed from the three grades taking into account their relative weight. All results higher than 51 % will be assessed as Pass, whereas any result lower than 51 % will be assessed as Fail. For more information about the use of the grading scale at FSV UK, please see Dean's Provision No. 17/2018: https://www.fsv.cuni.cz/opatreni-dekanky-c-172018aj. Poslední úprava: Lochmanová Sára, Mgr. (31.01.2024)
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NOTE: All literature available in this syllabus is to be used in this course only. All works are protected by copyright and must not be further distributed. Some of the materials are available online or can be downloaded from the SIS. All fiction to be discussed is available as English e-books online, or widely available in Czech translation on sale or in public libraries.
Primary sources: Amis, Martin. "The Last Days of Muhammad Atta," The New Yorker, April, 2006, (short story) DeLillo, Don. Cosmopolis. Scribner, 2003. (novel) DeLillo, Don. Falling Man. Scribner, 2007. (novel) DeLillo, Don. „In the Ruins of the Future“. Harper`s Magazine, December 2001, s. 33–40. (essay) Sontag, Susan. „The Talk of the Town“. The New Yorker, 2001, Vol. 32, 24 Sept 2001. (essay)
Secondary sources: Bercovitch, Sacvan. „The Myth of America“. Litteraria Pragensia, 2003, Vol. 13, No. 25, s. 1–17. Borradori, Giovanna. Philosophy in a Time of Terror: Dialogues with Jürgen Habermas and Jacques Derrida. University of Chicago Press, 2003 Joffe, Josef. Überpower: The Rise of Antiamerianism. WW Norton, 2006. Kamp, David. "Rethinking the American Dream". Vanity Fair, April 2009. Available online at: http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2009/04/american-dream200904 Procházka, Martin. „Apocalypticism in American Cultural History 2: Revelations of the Other“. Litteraria Pragensia, 2005, Vol. 15, No. 30, s. 79–106. Sandhu, Sukhdev. "Aliens and Other: The Desolation of Manhattan". London Review of Books. 4 October 2001. Available online at: http://www.lrb.co.uk/v23/n19/sukhdev-sandhu/aliens-and-others Poslední úprava: Olehla Richard, PhDr., Ph.D. (29.01.2024)
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In the seminar, students will be required to read texts for each seminar. A short introduction of the topics from weekly readings will be offered at the start of the class. Students will then discuss the topics of the weekly readings. The seminar is the most suitable teaching method for developping discussion and argumentation skills, especially related to critical reading skills. The course completion requirements mirror these, as the final essay requires good critical writing skills, which are formed as a result of the ongoing process of discussion and argumentation. The seminar will be conducted in the in-person, onsite form ("prezenční výuka"). If needed due to health or other reasons, the class will be conducted via a Google Meet session (code: meet.google.com/frx-kcsw-wri). Students will be advised in advance about the change in the instruction mode. Poslední úprava: Olehla Richard, PhDr., Ph.D. (29.01.2024)
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Essays are due on 30 May 2025. Later submissions will not be accepted.
Poslední úprava: Olehla Richard, PhDr., Ph.D. (05.02.2025)
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Class plan Week Date Topic, Text 1 21 Feb 25 orientation / introductory class 2 28 Feb 25 Founding myths: Sacvan Bercovitch - The Myth of America (essay) 3 7 Mar 25 Apocalypticism: Martin Procházka - Apocalypticism in American Cultural History (essay) 4 14 Mar 25 Megalopolis: Don DeLillo - Cosmopolis (novel) 5 21 Mar 25 Political correctness: Don DeLillo - In the Ruins of the Future (essay) 6 28 Mar 25 Writing about the Other: Don DeLillo - Falling Man (novel) 7 4 Apr 25 essay topics due; individual consultations on essay topics 8 11 Apr 25 Political correctness: Susan Sontag - The Talk of the Town (essay) 9 18 Apr 25 no class (Easter Friday) 10 25 Apr 25 Fear and Loathing: Giovanna Borradori - A Philosophy in the Time of Terror (interview with Jacques Derrida) 11 2 May 25 American Dream: David Kamp - Rethinking the American Dream (article) 12 9 May 25 Antiamericanism: Josef Joffe - Uberpower: The Rise of Antiamericanism (book chapter; pp. 67-77) 13 16 May 25 Being the Other: Sukhdev Sandhu - Aliens and Others (article) Martin Amis - The Last Days of Muhammad Atta (short story) closing session, discussion over students' essays Poslední úprava: Olehla Richard, PhDr., Ph.D. (25.12.2024)
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