Deconolisation of literature curriculum

When I did my English degree 25 years ago (as a mature student). I did a unit of work on Jane Austen and a separate unit of work on Toni Morrison. Both have a place in the canon of literature (my opinion for what it’s worth).

Poor old Jane! I will always love her.
But you might at least pay her the courtesy of spelling her surname correctly, Gagajo.

This is in Scotland. Stirling University I believe.

Jane Austen is a wordsmith too GagaJo, she was a product of her upbringing as we all are, but that doesn’t detract from her skill as a writer.

Sarahmob

When I did my English degree 25 years ago (as a mature student). I did a unit of work on Jane Austen and a separate unit of work on Toni Morrison. Both have a place in the canon of literature (my opinion for what it’s worth).

Agreed.

It's non-news though. Modules change all the time, and some sort of rationale has to be given for the benefit of The Paperwork. As often as not the real reason is that the person teaching has changed and has a different area of interest, or something equally pragmatic. Why this would be of interest to anyone other than a student considering taking the module is beyond me.

Decolonisation is a buzzword though, and there are more texts from more diverse authors appearing on modules on all sorts of subjects.

Its more about virtue signalling and Scottish de-Anglicization.

You purport to be a teacher of English and you can't even bother to spell Jane Austen's name correctly.

Perfectly possible to study both authors.

I enjoy the works of both Austen and Morrison, and think there’s a place for both in Eng. Lit. degrees. I’m wondering if the works of Jackie Kay are included in the syllabus at Stirling. She’s black and Scottish, and writes wonderfully imo.

I'm not quite sure what deconolisation means.
Decolonisation perhaps?

It's a storm in a teacup. It's a one year course that focusses on a different author each year.

It's not the end, or the beginning, of the world...

Nothing at all to do with decolonisation, or kicking Jane Austen off the curriculum.

Jeez, people do work hard at this emotional sh*t stirring, don't they.

The Cambridge Overseas English syllabus which I taught in Kenya in the 60s was 'Literature in English' which gave us the option to include works in translation, African literature, American literature and, of course, Eng Lit - including Shakespeare.
In a University syllabus, there should indeed be room for Jane Austen and George Eliot to rub shoulders with Toni Morrison.

grannydarkhair

I enjoy the works of both Austen and Morrison, and think there’s a place for both in Eng. Lit. degrees. I’m wondering if the works of Jackie Kay are included in the syllabus at Stirling. She’s black and Scottish, and writes wonderfully imo.

Sorry for the typos! I clearly wasn't looking what I was doing.

I have to be honest, I've never really enjoyed Jane Austen. I was given copies of her books as a teenager, read a couple in uni, and have taught extracts. But I find her dull. I know, each to her own... It isn't because she's a classic, I think it's her style.

I love Toni Morrison and teach her as often as I'm able. I also really love Jackie Kay. I remember reading Trumpet, in one go, in the uni library. Really just couldn't put it down. I've also taught her, both in Spain and Switzerland for International Baccalaureate. She was very popular with the students too.

MaizieD

It's a storm in a teacup. It's a one year course that focusses on a different author each year.

It's not the end, or the beginning, of the world...

Nothing at all to do with decolonisation, or kicking Jane Austen off the curriculum.

Jeez, people do work hard at this emotional sh*t stirring, don't they.

It was the (correctly spelled) title of the news article MaizieD.

I “got into” Jackie Kay through her poetry first, then her books. I especially enjoyed Bessie Smith and Red Dust Road, have never read Trumpet, must look out for it on my next library visit.

Urmstongran

Its more about virtue signalling and Scottish de-Anglicization.

Stirling University has not dropped or withdrawn Jane Austen from their curriculum, simply a change which occurs on a regular basis and Toni Morrison is the novelist currently featured.

One of the observations when my sons were going through school was that the curriculum was quite feminised. For example if I remember rightly Pride and Prejudice was one of the pieces they had to study for GCSE English Literature. I remember mentioning that to my mum at the time, a big Austen fan she'd read them all, and her comments were "for goodness sake that isn't going to appeal to teenage boys, indeed she was right, a complete turn off even for one of my sons who his teacher described as "her best boy" as far as English Literature was concerned, a subject that boys don't always embrace in the same way girls might. That he told me was noticeable when he studied it for A level in a very girl majority class, the boys few and far between by then, it wasn't the Shakespeare that turned them off they did Macbeth but their loathing for Austen was unanimous.

Oh dear Gagajo - two howlers in one thread title?
Time to paraphrase Lady Bracknell perhaps! ?????

(Thread title and OP between them, to be more accurate.)

MaizieD

It's a storm in a teacup. It's a one year course that focusses on a different author each year.

It's not the end, or the beginning, of the world...

Nothing at all to do with decolonisation, or kicking Jane Austen off the curriculum.

Jeez, people do work hard at this emotional sh*t stirring, don't they.

Yes to all of the above ?

Seriously - from comments in certain areas of the press you would think that there should have been no curriculum development since the Victorians - or since the authors of the articles were students, which was, of course, a ‘golden age’, whenever it happened.

MawtheMerrier

Oh dear Gagajo - two howlers in one thread title?
Time to paraphrase Lady Bracknell perhaps! ?????

Oh, wonderful Oscar! I have fabulous memories of teaching it to a class who adored it. We even had a Lady B tea party with cucumber sandwiches.

If you don't like a thread, don't read it! It's a copy and paste (not the typos obs) from the news. Maybe go back to talking about the RF?

GagaJo

MawtheMerrier

Oh dear Gagajo - two howlers in one thread title?
Time to paraphrase Lady Bracknell perhaps! ?????

Oh, wonderful Oscar! I have fabulous memories of teaching it to a class who adored it. We even had a Lady B tea party with cucumber sandwiches.

If you don't like a thread, don't read it! It's a copy and paste (not the typos obs) from the news. Maybe go back to talking about the RF?

I don't know what that little outburst is about, GagaJo. Are you feeling persecuted?

I'm puzzled that you posted a fake news story guaranteed to generate 'World gone mad' comments. Like that silly story about daffodil banning posted ( not by you ) the other day. I think of stories like that as Gnet Les Dawson moments...

In defence of Jane Austen I would say that her work should NEVER be taught to school children. They don't have life experience, emotional intelligence or historical understanding. All good things to have to deal with Austen.

Aha, our plan for undermining the Anglo-speaking hierarchy is working! Near to the site of Bannockburn, too!!!

(Followed by maniacal laughter)

This is a joke, by the way.

I see the spelling police are out again!
I love Austen but Morrison will be much better for a one year uni course. Perhaps some of the students will come to read Austen as they grow older when they will appreciate her more.