Genre Interventions

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

Usually admission to the postgraduate diploma, postgraduate certificate or fourth year honours in English or Creative Writing or the postgraduate diploma or fourth year honours in creative arts, or the postgraduate diploma in creative writing.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The subject teaches an understanding of genres in their social, historical and theoretical contexts. It will focus on the analysis of texts working in a range of literary and non-literary genres (the joke, the blog, the crime novel, the curse, the novel of manners, the elegy, the advertisement), and will then build on the categories of analysis developed in the practical criticism of these genres to examine more general theoretical issues, examining the structural features of different genres, their social contexts and histories and the work of writers who have radically intervened in different genres. The subject will encourage writers to gain a deeper understanding of the genres in which they wish to write, using the discussed genres as examples and will encourage literature students to investigate and/or critique genres. Both creative writing and literary theory students will engage in the examination of theoretical issues. Creative Writing students may negotiate a form of assessment which involves creative work.

• have a recognition of critical interventions in genre writing;
• have an understanding of genre development;
• have a familarity with contemporary debates about genre;
• have an understanding of racial and gendered aspects of genre and the ability to identify the structure of at least two genres.

A class presentation and written paper of 1000 words 20% (due during weeks 2-10 of the semester) and written work of 4000 words 80% (due at the end of semester). Students must attend 75% of tutorials, and will be excluded from the subject if they fail to meet this minimum without reasonable excuse.

A subject reader will be available.

• Modern Genre Theory (David Duff ed.)

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• apply advanced analytic and critical skills to written texts;

• apply advanced problem-solving skills to creative and analytic tasks;

• complete written tasks to an advanced level of literacy and communication;

• plan and develop their own work;

• relate critical analysis to creative production issues.