L.008.32360 Representations and Self-Representations of Oxford

Lehrende: Prof. Dr. Merle Tönnies

Veranstaltungsart: Proseminar

Orga-Einheit: Anglistik/Amerikanistik

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Semesterwochenstunden: 2

Unterrichtssprache: Englisch

Min. | Max. Teilnehmerzahl: - | 50

Voraussetzungen und Empfehlungen:
Introduction to Cultural Studies

Literatur:
(Excerpts from) the traditional representations of Oxford will be made available via PAUL. Prospectuses and other current self-representations can be studied on the internet. It will be helpful for this if participants can bring a laptop to the class.

Kommentar:
This seminar addresses a place and a university which have acquired a myth-like status in British culture, concentrating especially on the consequences that this reputation has for students and officials of the university. We will start out by studying some of the classic fictional and filmic representations which have contributed (and still contribute) to the so-called 'Oxford myth'. In the second half of the semester, the focus will be on the ways in which current self-representations of the university grapple with the traditional connotations of 'Oxford' (like elitism, upper-class life style or academic excellence) in addressing potential applicants. Participants will analyse prospectuses/internet pages of individual colleges and student bodies in smaller groups and present their findings to the class. These projects will enable us to draw more general conclusions on contemporary marketing strategies of Oxford institutions and the potential problems involved in them.
It is essential for the success of the seminar that participants are willing to make an active contribution to the group work in the seminar. The presentation of these findings to the class (including written documentation) is a prerequisite for 'qualifizierte Teilnahme' in the B.Ed. and 3 ECTS points in the 2-Fach-BA course.

Wichtige Hinweise:
Credits: 3LP/qualifizierte Teilnahme B.Ed.: oral presentation with written documentation
6 LP (only 2-Fach-BA!): oral presentation with written documentation; Hausarbeit
Reserve Shelf: to be announced