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ENG32820

Academic Year 2026/2027

Reading South Africa (ENG32820)

Subject:
English
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
English, Drama & Film
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Sarah Comyn
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module explores the democratic transition of South Africa from a nineteenth-century settler colony to the ‘Rainbow Nation’ it is declared today by studying its dynamic literary cultures. Examining a range of genres and forms from the farm novel, the colonial adventure romance, spoken-word poetry, puppetry plays, post-transition writing, speculative fiction, Soweto stories, and ‘Johannesburg Noir’; the module will study the literary representation and critique of events such as: the gold and diamond rush, Apartheid, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Marikana Massacre, the HIV/AIDS Epidemic, the Soweto Uprising, and contemporary decolonial protests such as the Rhodes Must Fall campaign. Key South African writers who may be studied in this module include: Koleka Putuma, Sol Plaatjie, J. M. Coetzee, Olive Schreiner, Lauren Beukes, William Kentridge, Jane Taylor, Zoë Wicomb, and K. Sello Duiker. Through this transhistorical study of South African literature, students will also be engaging with: ecocriticism, critical race studies, queer theory, postcolonial and decolonial studies.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

At the conclusion of this module students should be able to demonstrate:
• A critical understanding of South African literature and the ways it reflects changing social, cultural, economic, and political
contexts
• A familiarity with a range of South African literary genres and forms
• An ability to apply a range of critical and theoretical perspectives, such as ecocriticism and decolonial theory, to South African
literary texts
• An increased understanding of the impact that settler colonialism, extractivist violence, and democratic transition had on the
formation of the national literary culture and foundation myths of South Africa
• An ability to write critically about a range of texts from the nineteenth to the twenty-first century

Indicative Module Content:

The module will study the literary representation and critique of events such as: the gold and diamond rush, Apartheid, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Marikana Massacre, the HIV/AIDS Epidemic, the Soweto Uprising, and contemporary decolonial protests such as the Rhodes Must Fall campaign.

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Competent

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Competent

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Competent

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Competent

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Advanced Beginner

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Competent

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Competent

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

End poverty in all its forms everywhere 1

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture 1

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 1

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 1

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 2

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 1

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 1

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 2

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation 1

Reduce inequality within and among countries 2

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 2

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 1

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 1

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss 1

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 2

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development 1
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Seminar (or Webinar)

20
Specified Learning Activities

80
Autonomous Student Learning

100
Total

200

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Interactive classroom-based learning.
Lecturer and student presentations.
Peer and group work.
Seminar discussions.
Close textual reading.

AI Not Permitted: The use of AI tools is not permitted in this module. Students are expected to engage directly with module materials and activities without the use of AI tools.

A proportion of written assignments in each module in the School of English, Drama and Film are subject to moderation, meaning they undergo a second layer of review by another grader. This is to promote consistency within and between modules in the same level and discipline.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): End of semester essay 2,500-3,000 words Week 14 Graded No
60
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Essay Plan Week 9 Graded No
10
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Mid-term close reading (20%): choice between a standard close reading 600-800 words or designing a poster in response to the close reading prompt with a 200-300 word explanation of the choices made Week 6 Graded No
20
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: In-class discussions Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
10
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

*This is an indicative reading list and can be subject to change*

Olive Schreiner, 'The story of an African Farm' (OUP World Classics)
J. M. Coetzee, 'Life and Times of Michael K'
Zoë Wicomb, 'David's Story'
Masande Ntshanga, 'Triangulum'
Uhuru Phalafala, 'Mine, Mine, Mine'
Phaswane Mpe, 'Welcome to our Hillbrow'
Koleka Putuma, 'Can I get a witness?'
Jane Taylor, 'Ubu and the Truth Commission'


Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Tues 10:00 - 11:50
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