Jane Austen as Global Author

Until the end of the twentieth century, the novels of Jane Austen were discussed as exemplars of domestic realism and parochial Englishness. Her own observation that "three or four families in a country village is the very thing to work on" was taken at face value. It would be difficult to overstate the impact, then, of Edward Said's vision of _Mansfield Park_ "at the centre of an arc of interests and concerns spanning the hemisphere, two major seas and four continents" in his 1993 classic of postcolonial criticism, _Culture and Imperialism_. This course will familiarise you with Said's intervention and the resulting critical debate in Austen's studies. It will also introduce important resources for understanding both the author's place in the history of the empire, including East and West Indian connections and her global reception today. You will read two of the novels, extracts of others, letters, and her unfinished final work. These texts will be supplemented by key contextual and secondary material. **Outline for distance course:** The distance course is based on self-study and communication through the web-based learning environment. This contains all information regarding the course and is used for the compulsory course activities. Teaching takes the form of study instructions, exercises and discussions. Access to a computer with an internet connection is required to take the course. All teaching and examinations are done online. There are no scheduled obligatory online meetings. Taking a distance course means that you yourself largely determine when you study since you are not as tied to scheduled classes. Note, however, that this kind of course requires as much effort as an ordinary campus course and that it is equally important to meet set deadlines. **Student feedback:** * "I wasn't sure of what to expect of a distance course but the way this course was organised greatly exceeded my expectations." * "I can only have positive feedback for this course! This is perhaps now one of my favourite courses I have ever done and I have truly enjoyed every minute of it." * "This course has really broadened my horizon on Austen literature." * "I have gained a better understanding of Austen's novels, and hold her as an even greater author now."