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ENG10220

Academic Year 2026/2027

Literature and Crisis (ENG10220)

Subject:
English
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
English, Drama & Film
Level:
1 (Introductory)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Professor Fionnuala Dillane
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Why do we read literature? Why do we write? Literature and Crisis will discuss the value, purpose, usefulness and joy of reading and writing by looking at some of the ways in which literature has engaged with urgent social, political and cultural crises throughout history. We will think about literature as an intervention, as consolation, as a space of imagination and projection. Through lectures and tutorials we will examine why writers have turned to literary forms such as drama, fiction, and poetry to intervene in the most pressing issues of their times. Reading across genres, histories, and cultures, the module aims to develop key skills in close analysis, transhistorical and cross-cultural comparison, and persuasive writing. Literature and Crisis also seeks to enable students to analyse and understand the value and power of literature.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, students will have developed:
- The ability to analyse passages of literary text for its aesthetic engagement with social, cultural and political contexts
- An understanding of how literature changes in relation to historical change
- An awareness of how literary texts can be interpreted through a variety of critical lenses
- Enhanced skills in academic writing, argumentation, and presentation
- Awareness of the value of literary study and its relevance to society

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. Advanced Beginner

Critical Thinking

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

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. Advanced Beginner

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. Advanced Beginner

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. Advanced Beginner

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. Advanced Beginner

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. Advanced Beginner

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. Advanced Beginner

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

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 2

Reduce inequality within and among countries 2

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
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

12
Tutorial

10
Specified Learning Activities

36
Autonomous Student Learning

52
Total

110

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module enables students to develop their ability to analyse literary texts through close reading, and to connect those analyses of the aesthetics of literary texts to key social, political and cultural changes. Lectures will model close readings, and build student knowledge of the relationship between text and context. Tutorials will help students build competence and confidence in close reading, contextual analysis, transhistorical comparison, and argumentation. Specified learning activities will direct students to develop their own analyses through close reading and short writing exercises

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
Participation in Learning Activities: In-class low-stakes learning activities that you complete during your Small Group Tutorial including group work , close reading exercises, critical and creative reflections Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 9, Week 10 Graded No
40
 No
Exam (In-person): Two-hour in person exam; two questions based on course texts End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Graded No
60
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

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

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Peer review activities
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on in-class activities will be provided during SGTS with opportunities for one-to-one feedback during term and post exam

There is only one text to buy for this module, Anna Burns, Milkman (2018)
All other texts, which are short, will be available on Brightspace.

These are:
Extracts from from William Shakespeare Sir Thomas More (1593?)
Extracts from Christopher Marlowe Dido and Aeneas (1594)
Selections from seventeenth century poets, John Wilmot, Aphra Behn
Lewis Carroll, The Hunting of the Snark (1876)
Edward Lear, Selections from The Book of Nonsense (1861)
Arthur Conan Doyle short stories, A Scandal in Bohemia (1881); Silver Blaze (1892); The Adventure of the Speckled Band (1892)
Selection of poetry about the First World War
Isaac Asimov 'Nightfall' (1941)
Octavia Butler 'Speech Sounds' (1983)
Sara Sharaawi, Niqabi Ninja (2019)
Selection of works by Densie Chaila

Name Role
Ms Lauren Cassidy Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Lucy Collins Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Jane Grogan Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Margaret Kelleher Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Naomi McAreavey Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Anne Mulhall Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Niamh Pattwell Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor Emilie Pine Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Wed 15:00 - 15:50
Spring Seminar Offering 2 Week(s) - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 32, 33 Mon 10:00 - 10:50
Spring Seminar Offering 3 Week(s) - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 32, 33 Mon 11:00 - 11:50
Spring Seminar Offering 5 Week(s) - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Mon 11:00 - 11:50
Spring Seminar Offering 6 Week(s) - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Mon 12:00 - 12:50
Spring Seminar Offering 7 Week(s) - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Mon 12:00 - 12:50
Spring Seminar Offering 8 Week(s) - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Mon 13:00 - 13:50
Spring Seminar Offering 9 Week(s) - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Tues 13:00 - 13:50
Spring Seminar Offering 10 Week(s) - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Tues 12:00 - 12:50
Spring Seminar Offering 11 Week(s) - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Tues 11:00 - 11:50
Spring Seminar Offering 14 Week(s) - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Tues 12:00 - 12:50
Spring Seminar Offering 15 Week(s) - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Tues 09:00 - 09:50
Spring Seminar Offering 16 Week(s) - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Mon 13:00 - 13:50
Spring Seminar Offering 17 Week(s) - 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Tues 13:00 - 13:50
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