Modern Languages and Cultures

Semester one:

Critical Approaches to Culture and Media

Despite common framings of the Internet and of contemporary media and culture as transnational, homogeneous and universalizing, the production, circulation and consumption of contemporary media and culture continue to be embedded in local linguistic and cultural specificity in ways which demand nuanced analysis, linguistic fluency and specialised knowledge of cultures and histories. This module considers these global, regional and local dimensions of media and culture. 

First, this module offers students grounding in key cultural studies theories as well as the opportunity to explore emerging concepts in digital and new media studies. Second, through both historical and contemporary case studies, the module allows students to develop a critical awareness of how a broad range of cultural and media objects are produced, circulated and consumed across diverse global contexts, interrogating how they make meaning, shape societies, and have the power to entrench or destabilise hierarchies and inequalities. Each session interrogates distinct concepts such as governmentality, identity, (post)hegemony and subjectivity, through principal modes of critical analysis, such as representation, form, context and interpretation. Lastly, the module offers opportunities for students to learn from media industry experts and applies students' critical understanding to practice-based tasks integral to media and culture careers such as creative strategy, human insight and media consultancy. 

15 credits

Research Methods in Modern Languages and Cultures

This module will introduce and explore a range of methodological approaches and techniques that are relevant to students of Modern Languages and Cultures. It will enable students to identify, assess and exploit sources and data, present the results of their research in (an) appropriate manner(s), and adhere to data protection, intellectual property and ethics requirements. Students will engage with different theoretical models and debates, and a range of tools for accessing information. Students will be required to attend generic research methods sessions as well as those which are of greatest relevance to their research topic(s).

15 credits

Approaches to Literary and Cultural Studies (Critical Theory)

A historical and critical survey, of major theoretical approaches to Literary and Cultural Studies, to include five topics such as the following: Marxism; Hermeneutics; Psychoanalysis; Russian Formalism; Structuralism; Feminism and Gender Studies; Postcolonial Theories; Poststructuralism; New Sociologies of Culture. Historical and conceptual analysis will prepare the ground for informed application and critical employment of theoretical approaches to literary and cultural phenomena.

15 credits

Semester two:

Race and Ethnicity in a Global Context

This module will explore the issues of race, racism, racial conflicts, and race relations in a global context. Although we will use large imperialist nations as point of reference we will then look more closely at case studies originating from the Caribbean, South American, and/or Francophone and/or Lusophone Africa.

Beginning with a survey history of colonialisms and the imperial ideology across the Western world, we will focus on the impact of slave trade, colonial and racialist discourses. This module will examine the various historical, societal, cultural, and political forces that help shape race as a concept and a reality.

Some key questions and issues explored in the module include: 

What is race and racism? 

What are the forms of on-going racial oppressions? 

How/When does race emerge as a concept and a lived reality? 

15 credits

Innovations: Cultural Movements and Patterns

How can culture bring about a change of mindset? When do a group of like-minded people become a 'movement' and is this welcomed or feared by the individuals concerned? Is the concept of cultural movements helpful for our understanding or does it obscure nuance and competing, less prominent ideas? This course will look at cultural movements (in both national and transnational contexts) as a means of instigating change in Europe and the wider world. We shall investigate the role of media and prominent cultural actors in disseminating new ideas. We shall also consider how cultural historians have identified and labelled cultural movements as a way of imposing narrative upon the many artistic and literary developments which co-exist at a given point in time and place. 

As well as understanding movements by analysing significant pieces of writing or visual culture which exemplify them, we shall also ask about their conditions of production, ie: patronage/publishers/galleries/prizes.

Key movements: Realism / Naturalism / Modernism / Expressionism / Socialist Realism / New Objectivity / Post-war renewal / New Subjectivity  / Post-Modernism / Feminism and Neo-Feminism / Post-colonialism and De-colonialism

Students will explore questions such as: What are the links between creativity and generational belonging?

What role does media play in disseminating new ideas? 

Does a movement need a manifesto? 

How does art foster innovation, community or renewal?

Can understanding cultural history in terms of movements be a useful framework or more of a straitjacket?

15 credits

Dissertation in Modern Languages & Cultures

The dissertation undertaken by all students on the Masters Degree is designed to deepen further subject knowledge; to provide a broader range of opportunities to apply relevant research methodologies to selected primary and secondary materials; and to hone critical evaluation and language skills on a topic on an aspect of the modern languages and cultures offered by SLC. The topic will be agreed with the dissertation supervisor. Students will be expected to put into practice theories, strategies, methods and techniques with which they will have become acquainted while studying the relevant preparatory modules. The dissertation helps students to foster the development of intellectual qualities and organisational skills essential for higher-level research and by these means if appropriate they will be well-placed to prepare a cogent, fresh and rigorous MPhil/ PhD proposal and to obtain financial support for further study.

60 credits

Approaches to Literary and Cultural Studies (Critical Theory) II

A historical and critical survey, of major theoretical approaches to Literary and Cultural Studies, to include five topics such as the following: Marxism; Hermeneutics; Psychoanalysis; Russian Formalism; Structuralism; Feminism and Gender Studies; Postcolonial Theories; Poststructuralism; New Sociologies of Culture. Historical and conceptual analysis will prepare the ground for informed application and critical employment of theoretical approaches to literary and cultural phenomena.

15 credits

Semester one:

Curating Digital Exhibitions: Migration into Art and Artefacts

This project module gives you the opportunity to develop your own take on the broad theme of migration and globalisation as expressed in contemporary art and media. You will choose 3-5 artefacts which you display in a digital exhibition space and contextualise for a specific audience. 

Migration is the story of human civilization. Even though migration is an eternal phenomenon, migration and global mobility are regarded as one of the most pressing, challenging and transformative topics of our times. Migration is ubiquitous in the media and many contemporary artists engage migration through their art. One could argue that migration has changed both art and the discourses on art. 

In this course you will explore migration through contemporary artists and artefacts of your choice. You will put together your own digital exhibition in which you choose the objects and determine the narrative. We will use a digital platform to present the exhibition for your audience: you provide the written, or recorded context, and you develop the image, logo or publicity material to draw in your viewers.

We will explore the digital aspect of this module, how digital technology transforms our museums and the way in which we engage with and interpret (moving) images and art. You will get familiar with a digital presentation platform such as  WondaVR.

15 credits

Migration and its Representations Across Cultures

Using case studies from a range of areas and cultures, this module emphasises the importance of understanding socio-political contexts that shape cultural debates. This module will examine the cultural, social, intermedial and political issues at the heart of migration and transcultural communication while developing language skills.  The module will look at the mechanics of how culture is shaped and contested  through, for example, language, textual and/or visual discussions about representation and voice, or cultural responses to discrimination in multicultural and/or multilingual spaces. Students will study the multilingual and cultural factors that influence policymakers and practitioners, and explore how these issues are represented in mainstream media, artistic, cinematic and cultural productions. 

In this module,  students are encouraged to think about how their experience relates to the socio-political context(s) under study , creating a community of learning through shared discussion. In this way, students can choose a topic within the theoretical frameworks studied in class, and tailor these  frameworks to their own interests and experience.

15 credits

Directed Reading

The aim of this module is to respond with maximum flexibility to the interests and requirements of individual students of the MA in Modern Languages and Cultures programme. Its purpose is to enable students to engage with topics such as literature, linguistics, cultural studies, politics, society, migration or gender studies, as appropriate to their interests, and through a programme of consultation and/or seminars, as appropriate to the number of students. Students will examine issues in one or more languages, cultures or societies depending on their background and interests. Languages/cultures that can be studied or contrasted include those of the Francophone world; Hispanic and Lusophone world (inc. Spain, Portugal, Catalonia, Latin America) the Germanic world; and the Russian and Slavonic world (inc. Czech Republic, Russia and the former USSR) and Luxembourg.
In consultation with an appropriate member of staff (the module supervisor), students will identify an aspect of their chosen field of interest, and work with the intended supervisor to devise a study plan and an exhaustive bibliography in their chosen area. The method of assessment will be agreed between the student and the supervisor, as appropriate for the level of study. The normal length of the essay will be 4,000 words, but this can be divided up into two 2,000 word essays per semester.

15 credits

Social Approaches to Multilingualism

This module provides students with an overview of key topics in multilingualism, with an emphasis on the ways in which issues of language are linked to broader socio-political practices and debates. It allows students to gain insights into how theories of nationalism and globalisation may be applied to the analysis of texts and images in multilingual settings - with a particular focus on those in which Romance and/or Germanic languages play a central role - and it shows how debates about language are bound up with struggles over social equality and reactions to social transformations.

15 credits

Translation Skills 1

This module aims: i) To explore aspects of linguistic theory in relation to the act of translation; ii) To offer an account of translation as an act of cultural and ideological mediation; and iii) To study key concepts of translation theory including equivalence and functionalism. By the end of the module, we expect that students will be able to: i) Understand, explain and comment critically on the main theories of translation; ii) Develop their own views and insights from an understanding of these theories; and iii) Relate theories of translation to practical translation scenarios

15 credits

Concepts and Approaches in Intercultural Communication

This module aims to develop an understanding of the main theoretical approaches to the study of intercultural communication and the ability to analyse and evaluate their relative significance, including those originating from applied linguistics, management theory, anthropology and sociocultural theories. Students will consider the concept of culture from a variety of perspectives, and will study topics including stereotyping and prejudice, (non-)essentialism, identity, culture shock, and the role of language and dialogue in intercultural communication. A wide range of real-world examples will be examined, including media reports, international communications, multicultural situations, and intercultural problems raised by students. By the end of the module students will be able to: i) Analyse and critically evaluate the main concepts and approaches in intercultural communication; ii) Consider the implications for their application in practice; and iii) Develop their own perspectives and insights from these theories.

15 credits

Language in Context

This module starts from the assumption that language is fundamental to all forms of communication, social life (both online and offline) and our understanding of reality. This poses challenges for all kinds of intercultural contact - be it through translation, other forms of intercultural communication, or through the analysis and interpretation of the cultural 'other' in cultural productions and the media. The module sets out to explain how language interacts with the world around us and how communication is impacted when we cross linguistic and cultural barriers . Each week, we'll analyse real-life examples of norms through concepts such as politeness, contextualisation, implicature, metaphor, framing and ideology to enhance our understanding of culture and language-specific communicative norms, interactional patterns, text types, genres and the creation of meaning in communication. The module includes an introduction to presenting academic work through digital media.

15 credits

Semester two:

Translating Cultural Research into Public Media Content

Our academic research on culture can be - and often is - 'translated' into compelling media formats, for wider public consumption. You will learn from staff who have turned their own research stories into broadcast programming, digital and visual formats for general readers, online podcasts, and much more. We shall combine theory and practice. Through lectures, we will draw on scholarship in the public humanities, public history, and/or about engaged research. We shall theorise what we mean by 'public' audiences and consider different conceptions of non-specialist communication. We will think critically about academia's relationship to society. Then, prompted by examples from our academics' work, you will develop your own media pitches about your own cultural research that is not otherwise available to broader audiences in English.

15 credits

Directed Reading

The aim of this module is to respond with maximum flexibility to the interests and requirements of individual students of the MA in Modern Languages and Cultures programme. Its purpose is to enable students to engage with topics such as literature, linguistics, cultural studies, politics, society, migration or gender studies, as appropriate to their interests, and through a programme of consultation and/or seminars, as appropriate to the number of students. Students will examine issues in one or more languages, cultures or societies depending on their background and interests. Languages/cultures that can be studied or contrasted include those of the Francophone world; Hispanic and Lusophone world (inc. Spain, Portugal, Catalonia, Latin America) the Germanic world; and the Russian and Slavonic world (inc. Czech Republic, Russia and the former USSR) and Luxembourg.
In consultation with an appropriate member of staff (the module supervisor), students will identify an aspect of their chosen field of interest, and work with the intended supervisor to devise a study plan and an exhaustive bibliography in their chosen area. The method of assessment will be agreed between the student and the supervisor, as appropriate for the level of study. The normal length of the essay will be 4,000 words, but this can be divided up into two 2,000 word essays per semester.

15 credits

Dissertation

The aim of this module is to give students on the MA programmes in the School of Languages and Cultures the opportunity to research a topic in the field of study to their specific MA programme (to be agreed with the dissertation supervisor). The dissertation is designed to deepen further subject knowledge, to provide a broader range of opportunities to apply relevant research methodologies to selected primary and secondary materials, and to hone critical evaluation and language skills on a topic on an aspect of the area studies offered by SLC. Students will be expected to put into practice theories, strategies, methods and techniques already studied in the relevant preparatory modules; they may also link their dissertation to a work-placement or work-based project, in which case the dissertation approach may be more practice-oriented, drawing on theories.

The normal length of the dissertation will be 12,000 words, but may increase to an upper limit of 14,000 words depending on the dissertation type.

Problem-solving and example classes will cover important issues related to starting and developing a dissertation. Regular, focused classes will support students in the application of knowledge and skills learnt in the module Research Methods in Modern Languages and Cultures to their specific dissertation topic (such as narrowing down focus through literature review, adopting appropriate methodologies and the development of original insights.)

Individual tutorials will support the students' individual research.

60 credits

Approaches to Luxembourg Studies

This module offers students with an overview of current issues in the field of Luxembourg Studies. Students will be encouraged to specialise in an area of Luxembourg Studies ranging from cultural studies, history, migration studies, multilingualism, politics or sociology. Students will develop a profound understanding in a selected area of Luxembourg Studies, which will be further developed over the course of the second semester and in the context of their Dissertation. Support in developing Luxembourgish language skills is also provided if appropriate in relation to the focal area of specialisation.

15 credits

Translation Skills 2

This module aims: i) To explore aspects of linguistic theory in relation to the act of translation; ii) To offer an account of translation as an act of cultural and ideological mediation; and iii) To study key concepts of translation theory including equivalence and functionalism. By the end of the module, we expect that students will be able to: i) Understand, explain and comment critically on the main theories of translation; ii) Develop their own views and insights from an understanding of these theories; and iii) Relate theories of translation to practical translation scenarios

15 credits