CODE | LAS2071 | |||||||||
TITLE | Literature, Arts, Music and Films: Political Implications | |||||||||
UM LEVEL | H - Higher Level | |||||||||
MQF LEVEL | 6 | |||||||||
ECTS CREDITS | 4 | |||||||||
DEPARTMENT | Centre for the Liberal Arts and Sciences | |||||||||
DESCRIPTION | How do The Beatles embody counterculture politics? What can Titanic tell us about social class? What is the Holocaust represented in Schindler’s List or La vita è Bella? What does The Lord of the Flies or The Hunger Games reveal about social organisation? What are the political messages in Picasso’s Guernica? Important political themes and issues have often been addressed with great insight in works of literature. Furthermore, artistic works, architecture, music, theatre and films are frequently potent political symbols reflecting the values, tastes and self-perception of leaders and political elites. These considerations are the starting points of this study-unit, which draws students towards an appreciation of how political themes and ideas manifest themselves in works of literature, art, music and films. Moreover, the study-unit also dwells on how dissidents, social critics and governments themselves utilise artistic and literary representations of politics to criticise, inform, educate, lampoon, celebrate and mythologise for political ends. This study-unit explores a selection of artworks, ranging from Hollywood movies to arthouse cinema; from novels to political essays; from visual art to architecture; and from classical music to rock music. In this way, students will be introduced to a number of political themes, as well as equipped with the knowledge and skills to analyse and appreciate the political scope of literature, art, music and films. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - discern and appraise the political messages embedded in great works of literature, music, film, public buildings and monuments; - identify the link between works of arts and the broader themes in politics and policy making, including political legitimation, regime succession, propaganda and collective memory. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - observe the composition and selected key details of political works in print, film or stone; and - write brief, well-informed commentaries about selected works Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Campus FM, Il-Politika u l-Mużika (2015). - Campus FM, Il-Politika fil-Films (2016). - Campus FM, Il-Politika fil-Letteratura (2017). - Campus FM, Il-Politika fl-Arti Viżiva (2018). - Vassallo, MT (2017), Politics and Music: The Maltese Experience, in Vassallo, MT and Tabone, C. (eds.) Public Life in Malta II, Malta: University of Malta. - Vassallo, MT and DeBattista, A. (2023), The Many Faces of Politics in Literature and Music. UK: Routledge. - Vassallo, MT and DeBattista, A. (2023), The Many Faces of Politics in the Visual and Performing Arts. UK: Routledge. Supplementary Readings: - Micallef, M.A. (2008), The Politics of Art, Malta: Progress Press. [available] - Street, J. (2011), Music and Politics, Polity. [not available] - Tzioumakis, Y. & Molloy, C. (2016). The Routledge Companion to Cinema and Politics. London and New York: Routledge. [not available] - Wodak, R. & Forchtner, B. (2018). The Routledge Handbook of Language and Politics. London and New York: Routledge. [not available] |
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STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Practical | |||||||||
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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LECTURER/S | Kurt Borg (Co-ord.) Nicola Ann Petroni Mario Thomas Vassallo |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |