Dutch Literature in comparison: interdisciplinarity, intermediality, performativity [ LGERM2734 ]

Have passed the bachelor courses in Dutch literature and have a good proficiency in Dutch (advanced level, B2 + of the Common European reference framework).

This course approaches Dutch-speaking literature in a comparative way: connection with other arts or media and reflection on the effects and the performativity of literature, its episteme and modalities of knowledge, focusing on the specificity of such issues for the Dutch area. The chosen themes vary and are discussed in light of the topics that are debated in current research.

By the end of the course, students

- will have deepened their knowledge of Modern Dutch and Comparative literature;
- will have acquired the foundations of interartistic, intermedial and interdisciplinary approaches in the humanities and culture and will be able to report and discuss issues of literary epistemology and philosophy of literature;
- will be able to analyze the relationship and interaction between literary works and other media and will be able to build an interdisciplinary approach in order to understand the complexity of the text being studied;
- will demonstrate a better comprehension of cultural issues in the field of contemporary or comparative literature, particularly Dutch-speaking literature.

Continuous assessment:
- Active participation in the discussions and comments on texts; for the personal task, bibliographical research, compulsory analytical readings of scientific articles and critical discussions; extensive text analysis; personal and scientific comments are expected from the participants.

Certificative assessment:
- Written exam on studied texts .
- Oral exam, based on a personal reading of a city poem.

Students will be evaluated on their command of the Dutch written language, their personal expression and knowledge of secondary research in the field.

Le cours vise un mode d'apprentissage dynamique, varié et, autant que possible, interactif.

L'exposé magistral est présenté en alternance avec des commentaires de textes qui demandent la participation active des étudiants. Tous les textes discutés sont lus et préparés au préalable par tous les étudiants.

Les étudiants préparent individuellement ou en groupe (en fonction du nombre d'inscrits) l'analyse d'un texte littéraire choisi et le présentent devant l'auditoire. Ils remettent à l'enseignant un rapport écrit.

The course focuses on the phenomenon of the "City poet", that has shown a marked development since the 1990's in Dutch-speaking literature. It introduces the history of the writer's relationship to the city and its authorities (comparison with the troubadours, the trouvères, court poetry and medieval poetry, XVth and XVIth centuries; rederijkers, gemeenschapskunst, etc.) and examines the poetic works of several Dutch and Flemish City poets (Joke van Leeuwen, Bart Moeyaert, Ramsey Nasr, Tom Lanoye, Erwin Mortier, Peter Verhelst, Peter Holvoet-Hanssen, Ronald Ohlsen, Robert Anker, Mustafa Stitou et Ingmar Heytze).

Reflection on contemporary literature will consist in investigating how the literary text is embodied in the public area of the city and highlights in this way its significance outside itself. How does the insertion of the poem in the urban area and the political field alter its support and status? How does it affect the reading of such city literature? Correspondingly, how does the literary text give an image of the city, by configuring the real through fiction?

The course will also expose students to important poetic works of Dutch-speaking literature today via the chosen topics.

En guise d'orientation :
- De stad en ik. Stadsdichters in Nederland en Vlaanderen, bijeengebracht door Gerard Beense. Oosterbeek: Kontrast, 2005. 128 p. (vgl. uitgaven uit 2008, 2009, 2010)
- Brinkman, H. (november 2010), Stadsdichters in de middeleeuwen. Gent, Koninklijke Academie voor Nederlandse Taal- en Letterkunde, Spiegeldag. Lezingen over het thema 'Stadsdichters van de middeleeuwen tot vandaag', georganiseerd door het tijdschrift Spiegel der Letteren.
- Istendael, Geert van. 'Stadsdichters: meervoud.' In: Poëziekrant (Gent): 31 (2007) 7 (okt) 59.
- Speet, Fleur. 'Dichten voor eigen parochie: stadsdichters in Nederland en Vlaanderen.', in: Ons erfdeel (Rekkem): 51 (2008) 1 (feb) 20-29.
- Vantomme, E. « Een stadsdichter is meer dan een dichter », in Poëziekrant, 33, (4) 2009, p. 48-53.

Textes littéraires à l'étude
- Anthologie de textes de 'stadsdichters'.

Anthology of literary texts, scientific articles, handouts, powerpoint, multimedia documents.