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ENG42150

Academic Year 2026/2027

Energy, Modernity, Culture (ENG42150)

Subject:
English
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
English, Drama & Film
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Treasa De Loughry
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Energy is the dirty substrate of modernity, turbo-charging not only our infrastructures, but also our affects, desires, and imaginaries. Taking on Patricia Yaeger’s provocative call to read for the “energy unconscious” fuelling our cultural works, this module will consider how energy generated by sources like coal, oil, nuclear, solar, water, and wind register in contemporary texts from sites like Australia, the Caribbean, Ireland, the Niger Delta, North America, the North Sea, and the UK.
Critical literary and environmental topics covered in the syllabus may include petro-modernity, hydro-fictions, solarities, aeolian (wind) imaginaries, cli-fi, resource fictions, extinction, slow violence, and/ or the Anthropocene, as we examine the aesthetics of texts from the global hotspots of energy extraction and global warming. We will also probe the uneven impact of energy pollution and climate change; and may draw on additional critical insights from fields like eco-feminism, queer ecology, environmental racism, postcolonial ecocriticism, world-ecology, the blue humanities, and/ or animal studies.
The energy humanities is one of the most exciting strands of environmental criticism to emerge in recent years, and throughout this module you will be prompted to engage with cutting edge criticism and texts, such as poetry, short stories, TV shows, film, and novels, all with a view to querying how the humanities can mediate, and perhaps even intervene in, our climate changed world.
No prior knowledge of ecocriticism or energy humanities is assumed.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

- Knowledge of key concepts and critical approaches in the energy and environmental humanities
- Advanced ability to analyse global texts in terms of their aesthetic features as well as in relation to their socio-ecological contexts
- Ability to understand, analyse and critically evaluate cultural theory in relation to energy extraction and climate change
- Proficiency in synthesizing a range of materials and perspectives in the production of a coherent, well-researched argument
- Ability to produce a cogent, high level piece of academic research/writing

Indicative Module Content:

In 2024 we examined the below topics, they will be refreshed for 2026/7:

- indigenous poetics and energy politics in Niger Delta and Australian Aboriginal poetry
- north sea weird: oil and strange natures in UK culture
- marine energy poetry
- violent atmospherics of energy transition
- abundant futures and energy transition in sci-fi
- magic degrowth and fantasy

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. Proficient

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. Proficient

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. Proficient

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. Competent

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

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

78
Autonomous Student Learning

100
Seminar (or Webinar)

22
Total

200

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module is seminar-based, with a strong emphasis on group discussion and class participation. As a MA module, students are encouraged to develop their critical voices, and put complex ideas to the test. Approaches in this module may include student-led discussion, group-led discussions, discussion forums, short lectures, critical writing, close reading.

AI Use Permitted for Limited Support: Students may use AI tools for limited support in this module (e.g. in generating works cited or suggesting secondary reading). However, students remain fully responsible for the accuracy and reliability of their learning. Any use of AI must be cited appropriately.

Moderation: 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 Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Research essay comparing/ contrasting 2 or more texts in response to a question/ prompt Week 14 Graded No
70
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: contribution of discussion questions x twice throughout the module Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10 Graded No
10
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Close reading exercise putting a critical term in dialogue with primary text, 1000 words Week 9 Graded No
20
 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
No
 

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

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

For written assignments, the convenor will provide annotated comments and through written feedback on Brightspace. For participation in the learning activities, feedback will be given in class. For essay assignments, students are also encouraged to attend office hours before submission, and afterwards to discuss feedback.

Name Role
Dr Patrick Brodie Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Sharae Deckard Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Katherine Ebury Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Catherine Kilcoyne Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Mon 12:00 - 13:50
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