This course asks: what is unique about literary representations of environmental questions? What can a poem say about climate change that a novel can’t, and vice-versa? What about a memoir, a lyric essay, a documentary film, or a play? In focusing on the specific qualities of individual forms, this research-led course participates in current postformalist critical developments which seek to connect formal analysis with political, here specifically environmental, ideas. Accordingly, each week students will consider a specific formal category in light of a specific environmental category. These categories may include, but are not restricted to, such concepts as ‘extinction’, ‘corporate sustainability’, ‘slow violence’, ‘extraction’, ‘more-then-human agency’ and ‘entanglement’. Cumulatively and comparatively, students will build an understanding of human culture’s contribution to environmental crisis and transformation.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- demonstrate familiarity with a range of literary texts relating to environmental issues from the nineteenth century to the present, with an emphasis on modern and contemporary texts;
- write and speak critically about literary texts with a view to their specific genre characteristics;
- identify and discuss key critical and theoretical movements and categories in the environmental humanities; and
- read carefully with detailed attention to the ways in which literary, dramatic and cinematic narratives are constructed.
Indicative Assessment
- Tutorial participation (10) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Essay One (2000 words) (40) [LO 1,2,4]
- Essay Two (3000 words) (50) [LO 1,2,4]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:
a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks, including lectures, tutorials, and/or lectorials/seminars; and
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Key poets include Alice Oswald, Ali Cobby Eckermann, Jorie Graham, Craig Santos Perez, and Kathleen Jamie. Key novelists include Margaret Atwood, Emily St John Mandel, Alexis Wright, Amitav Ghosh, and Barbara Kingsolver. Key essayists and nonfiction prose writers include Jenny Offill, Robert Macfarlane, and Jenny Odell. Selection of readings will be posted on Wattle, including recommended anthologies and handbooks.
Assumed Knowledge
The knowledge and skills acquired from completing two English courses successfully.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8549 | 27 Jul 2026 | 03 Aug 2026 | 31 Aug 2026 | 30 Oct 2026 | In Person | N/A |