Literature-Culture-Media: Gender and Class in Contemporary Spanish-language Fiction

<p>How are gender, class, and violence depicted in contemporary Spanish-language literature?</p><p>This course takes its point of departure in novels from the 2000s that both expose and question power relations in today’s societies. The main focus is on gender and class, but we also examine how sexuality, ethnicity, and historical traumas shape experiences and living conditions. We explore how the presence of violence in people’s lives and in social hierarchies is represented in literature. Through close readings of several notable works, we discuss how narrative technique, language, and different literary genres - from brutal realism to the fantastic - are used to highlight and problematize these themes, and what kind of political force literature can carry in contemporary social debates.</p> <p>The course includes novels by Elena Medel, Mariana Enríquez, Fernanda Melchor, Laura Restrepo, Layla Martínez, Camila Sosa Villada, Alana Portero, Alia Trabucco Zerán, Dolores Reyes, and Pilar Quintana.</p> <p>Students may choose to read the novels in English, Spanish, or Swedish; however, all course discussions will be conducted in English.</p> <p>This course is included in the Master of Arts programme in Literature - Culture - Media. It is also offered as a freestanding course.</p><p>https://www.sol.lu.se/en/course/LIVR59/</p>