insight4me English Literature: Modern Literature 1945+ With University Of East Anglia & University Of Reading

insight4me is a series of subject specific webinars for current Year 12 & 13 students. The sessions support students’ current studies by giving an insight into particular curriculum areas whilst affording students the opportunity to talk to different universities and make informed comparisons about how, in this case, English Literature is taught.

In this insight4me English Literature webinar for schools and colleges, UEA and University of Reading will each have roughly 30 minutes to deliver a punchy, topic based ‘micro’ talk. Within an overall session theme of Modern Literature 1945+, the universities have the freedom to choose their own topic and use the time to convey the key points of the case studies for the Year 12 students.

Through the discussion, the universities are encouraged to provide an insight into the teaching and learning experience of this topic at university, and compare and contrast how other subject areas across the English Literature spectrum might be treated. Students will gain an insight into how these subjects continue beyond A-levels, IB, BTEC and equivalent qualifications.

By hearing from 2 unis, students will also appreciate how the further study of English Literature can vary between institutions, contributing to the depth of their HE research and assisting informed decision making.

Full details of the universities and their talks will appear below when available. 

• University of Reading: Dr Neil Cocks, Associate Professor of Literary Perspective in the Department of English Literature, will discuss Regeneration by Pat Barker. Neil will be focusing on the relationship between ethics and narration and introducing some broader comments on representations of mental health in the novel. The talk will consider the effects of narration and perspective in this work of war writing as well as looking at the relationship between politics, ethics, and narration.
• University of East Anglia: Dr Jos Smith, Lecturer in Contemporary Literature, School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing will present ‘Our House is On Fire’: Literature, Politics and the Environmental Crisis.

  Jos will introduce students to a variety of different approaches to ‘eco-criticism’, that is, literary criticism with the environmental crisis in mind. After a brief introduction to ecocriticism generally, we will take a distinctive UEA approach and look at three examples of tangible, historical links between environmental politics and different literary forms, from nature writing to science fiction to indigenous poetry. We will think critically about these, exploring the value of each for a world in a growing state of crisis before reflecting on what the future holds.

Our events are designed so that a group of students can take part from a classroom or students and teachers can take part as individuals, either from school or from home. This means that sessions will continue irrespective of possible school closures.

Suitable for: Year 12 & 13 students studying, or with a possible interest in studying, English Literature and related disciplines.

Preparation/Pre-Reading: Students may wish to consider the 2 topics and discuss some of the key elements in advance. Students can also think about questions they have about studying English Literature at university level.

The IT Setup: The event will be run on Bluejeans and participants will be able to join using laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. If you are joining as a school group, we recommend connecting with one device and projecting on to a whiteboard. You will be able to interact with the university via a microphone and/or typed comments and questions. Full details will be sent to those who have registered (see below) prior to the event.

Booking a Place: This is free for schools and colleges. If you would like to take part in this event, please register your interest using the link to the registration form below: