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Semester 2

Crime and Detection in Literature (ELCC08005)

Subject

European Languages and Cultures

College

CAHSS

Credits

20

Normal Year Taken

2

Delivery Session Year

2023/2024

Pre-requisites

**Please see Additional Restrictions below**

Course Summary

This course will explore issues of crime and detection in a variety of literary texts from different historical contexts and from a variety of European and, depending on staff availability, also Latin American countries. This will be done in relation to the main tropes of the genre and a range of theoretical approaches. It will consider the contexts in which the texts appear and how crime fiction addresses ideological and social issues.

Course Description

This course examines the ways in which crime fiction, which was long considered a minor and inferior literary genre, has used its popular appeal to reflect on and address important social, political and sometimes philosophical issues. Notions of justice, guilt, identity play crucial parts in the genre but are often presented, especially in more recent texts, as subjective and dependent on historical and ideological factors. With reference to political and social theories such as, for example, feminism, Marxism and post-structuralism, we will examine the ways in which the texts use and often transcend the tropes of the genre. We will consider its long-lasting appeal and the reasons why authors have used it specifically to address contemporary issues. Texts will be read in their English translation, and recommended reading will be in English. You will be assessed on your ability to produce close readings of both crime fiction texts and secondary literature and develop your ability to read critically and in context.

Assessment Information

Written Exam 0%, Coursework 100%, Practical Exam 0%

Additional Restrictions

This course is high-demand, meaning that there is a very high number of students wishing to enrol in a very limited number of spaces. Enrolment is managed by the Visiting Student Office, in line with the quotas allocated by the departments, and all enquiries to enrol in these courses must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. It is NOT appropriate for students to contact the department directly to request additional spaces.

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