Last modified: 31 May 2022 13:30
This course introduces students to contemporary poetry across its many forms and styles. We will investigate the place for poetry in contemporary culture, whether in poetry anthologies, slim volumes of verse, in performance, or on social media. Looking at a wide range of authors active from the turn of the millennium on, we will trace a genealogy for contemporary poetry, as informed by the legacies of modernism, and subsequent waves of poetic schools and movements. The course is strongly recommended for students with an interest in poetry, literary form, contemporary British and Irish writing, and creative writing.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 30 credits (15 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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The Shock of the Now is a proposed level 4 course devoted to the developing field of contemporary poetry. The robust health of contemporary poetry is often expressed in terms of its diversity, a diversity which can represent a challenge to readers in need of orientation. Focusing on poetry produced since the turn of the millennium, our approach will be wide-ranging. Topics covered will include: the role of anthologies; the state of the nation(s) and Brexit Britain’s uncertain future; the rise of ecopoetics; tradition, formalism and experiment; postcolonial British poetry; poetry, migration, and the poetic ‘resident alien’; politics and satire; new narratives of race and gender; the publishing scene; poetry and new and social media; framing the contemporary canon (who are its major figures). Nevertheless, our primary focus will be on the close reading of individual poems and collections of poems. Students will develop a broad range of critical responses to the work read, and will work on individual and group projects as part of their course assessment.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 39 | Feedback Weeks | 42 | |
| Feedback |
Feedback will be provided in writing |
Word Count | 2500 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Hone effective critical skills |
| Conceptual | Understand | Demonstrate understanding of contemporary poetry through engagement with criticism |
| Factual | Apply | Acquire and demonstrate knowledge of contemporary poetry in its various forms and contexts. |
| Procedural | Apply | Understand contemporary poetry in the context of British and Irish politics and society |
| Procedural | Create | Contribute to shaping evolving critical field |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Feedback will be provided in writing |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Hone effective critical skills |
| Conceptual | Understand | Demonstrate understanding of contemporary poetry through engagement with criticism |
| Factual | Apply | Acquire and demonstrate knowledge of contemporary poetry in its various forms and contexts. |
| Procedural | Apply | Understand contemporary poetry in the context of British and Irish politics and society |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 31 | Feedback Weeks | 34 | |
| Feedback |
Feedback will be provided in writing |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Hone effective critical skills |
| Conceptual | Understand | Demonstrate understanding of contemporary poetry through engagement with criticism |
| Factual | Apply | Acquire and demonstrate knowledge of contemporary poetry in its various forms and contexts. |
| Procedural | Apply | Understand contemporary poetry in the context of British and Irish politics and society |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Feedback will provided orally and in writing. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | Hone effective critical skills |
| Conceptual | Understand | Demonstrate understanding of contemporary poetry through engagement with criticism |
| Factual | Apply | Acquire and demonstrate knowledge of contemporary poetry in its various forms and contexts. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 100 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback | Word Count | 2500 | ||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Apply | Acquire and demonstrate knowledge of contemporary poetry in its various forms and contexts. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Demonstrate understanding of contemporary poetry through engagement with criticism |
| Procedural | Apply | Understand contemporary poetry in the context of British and Irish politics and society |
| Conceptual | Analyse | Hone effective critical skills |
| Procedural | Create | Contribute to shaping evolving critical field |
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