Welcome to Themes in Popular Literature  at Dalarna University

Seminars and Course Schedule 

Seminars are on Wednesdays at 1030 - 12:00.    The first seminar is on Wednesday 28th January in Karin Larsson room, Falun Campus. 

Schedule is available in Modules 

What is this course about?

In this course, you will explore a ideas and themes in a selection of contemporary popular novels from the English-speaking world along with a selection of critical and theoretical approaches to popular literature.   American writer Walter Mosley is quoted as saying "All great popular literature today one day will be seen as great literature and will not longer be seen as popular literature".    An example of this is William Shakespeare whose plays were popular entertainment in the 1600s and over the last five centuries are considered great literary works.     Therefore,  the term "popular literature" is difficult to define as what is popular now may not be popular in the near future. One reason is that literature reflects changing times. 

So the literature chosen in this course have either been included in the Times Magazine as the 100 popular literature lists for the last two years,  New York Times 100 most popular literature list, or the Guardian news agency 50 most popular lists.  

In the course, you will analyse and interpret the texts from several different popular genres, as well as develop the ability to apply relevant literary terminology and theoretical perspectives in their study of the chosen literature. In addition, a selection of literary theories are discussed in order to broaden the critical analysis. 

Duration of course

This course runs from Week 5 (27-31 January)  to Week 23 (9-13 June).  Therefore this is a rather intense course as the study rate is at 50% which is half  the term.   This course assumes that you have already take some English literature courses, at least 7.5 credits. 

Learning Outcomes  

To successfully pass the course, you must demonstrate throughout the course all of the following learning outcomes:

• demonstrate a good understanding of common themes in contemporary popular literature in English
• critically analyse popular literature in relation to common conventions of genre and a selection of basic ideas of contemporary literary theory
• effectively communicate and argue for their interpretation of texts, orally and in writing
• independently write an academic essay, based on the guidelines given, which uses formatting conventions.

Assessment Modes for the course

Literature for the Course 

•    Hamid, M. (2017). Exit West (or any other edition of novel). New York: Riverhead Books. ISBN: 9780735212176

•    Itäranta, E. (2014). Memory of water : a novel (1 uppl.). New York: Harper Voyager. ISBN: 9780062326157

•    Jiang, A. (2023). I Am AI (1 uppl.). Canada: Shotwave Media. ISBN: 9781959565093

•    McCracken, S. (1998). PULP. Reading Popular Fiction (selected readings provided in course). New York: Manchester UP. (selected readings will be provided by the lecturer)

•    Quartey, K. (2010). Wife of the Gods : a novel (1 uppl.). New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks. ISBN: 9780812979367

•    Storey, J. (1997). introduction to cultural theory and popular culture (selected readings provided in course). Hemel Hempstead: Prentice Hall.(selected readings will be provided by the lecturer)

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