Course Catalogue

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This course explores self-translation as a form of creative writing and as a multifaceted political practice with decolonising intent. Through close reading of self-translated texts and paratexts (authors' introductions, afterwards, interviews), it discusses different types of self-translation (from and into minoritised, migrant and hegemonic languages), the reasons that drive authors to self-translate, the connection between self-translation and migration, the connotation of the self-translated text as a dynamic, fluid text, and the political meaning that self-translation acquires in an increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse landscape. 

20 x 1 hour seminar sessions  

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Italian, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

None

None

Presentation (8 minutes) 20%

Reflective Journal (800 words) 20%

Essay (2400 words) 60%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course aims to:

■ examine self-translation as a creative and political practice

■ discuss the role of self-translation as a tool of inclusion in an increasingly diverse literary landscape

■ reflect on translation flows from and into minoritised languages, unequal power relations between languages, and the decolonising agenda of the self-translations examined

■ encourage students to examine paratexts as part of textual analysis and to engage in close reading and comparisons of self-translated texts

■ increase students' employability by strengthening their intercultural skills and honing their ability to analyse translations

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ question traditional notions of translation as interlingual transposition

■ evaluate the ideological and sociological meaning of translating from and into minoritised languages, and from and into English

■ undertake a close reading of the studied texts in relation to their paratexts (translator introductions, afterwards, interviews, etc)

■ undertake independent research, engage with secondary sources, and apply critical tools to the analysis of primary texts

■ effectively communicate their understanding of the works analysed, both orally and in writing, and reflect critically on their learning

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.