Dual Urban Settings in Postmodern Fantastic Literature

While on the one hand the contemporary metropolis is a locus that connects thousands of otherwise unrelated bodies and identities on a daily basis, it also blatantly visualises (and contributes to) social and cultural divisions. In her essay “Bodies-Cities”, Grosz for instance refers to it as “the most immediate and concrete locus for the production and circulation of power.” (48-49)

Keeping in mind the discursive nature of spatial practices and applying cultural geography as well as other theories, this class will analyse representations of dual cities in various forms of fantastic fiction. These dual cities are spatially, temporally, or conceptually divided urban settings, often serving as metaphors for the quotidian divisions, dichotomies, and juxtapositions of urban life and culture. The fantastic offers an especially intriguing subject for such investigations, as it is indicative of various concerns, fears and anxieties of society. The selected primary texts offer a range of different forms of duality, ranging from tangible, physical dichotomies and boundaries to more abstract, conceptual divisions. They allow us to discuss a broad range of socio-political and historical contexts from the Enlightenment to the twenty-first century and provide examples of different functions of this literary trope, including a critique of established power relations between different social groups as well as other hegemonic structures and striking visualisations of (subconscious) biases and ideologies.

A list of required reading will be made available during the first session.

Course assessment will be offered in the form of:

• written exam
• short oral presentation
• portfolio & expert session

Personal attendance during the first session is required to maintain enrolment status.
Please direct all your inquiries about vacancies to britlit.fragen.fk15tu-dortmundde.