Postgraduate Module Descriptor

ANTM100: The Animal Mirror: Representations of Animality

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Module Aims

The module aims

 1. to provide students with a detailed and theoretically grounded insight into a wide variety of animal representations in literature, in the arts and in other ‘media’ forms;

2. to enable students to engage critically with the ways such representations relate to, and can inform wider philosophical discussions of contemporary import (such as the environmental crisis and global sustainability);

3. to develop students’ abilities to apply appropriate theoretical models to  representations of animals and the ‘nonhuman’. 

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. demonstrate a detailed and coherent knowledge of a range of theoretical approaches to the representations of 'animals' and the 'nonhuman' in literature, the arts, and other 'media' or 'cultural' forms;
2. critically evaluate and theoretically analyse the relationships between the representations of animals and the consumption of animal representations; e.g. author / reader, artist / viewer, advertiser / consumer;
3. display an understanding of the ways in which contemporary representations of animals might inform wider theoretical/philosophical debates such as global environmental crisis;
Discipline-Specific Skills4. demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the importance of 'animals' and 'animality' in the creation of anthropological ideas about self and others;
5. show a clear and detailed understanding of the historical development of theoretical approaches to the representations of animals within the social sciences;
6. demonstrate a reflexive awareness of the socio-cultural influences which lead to particular representations and interpretations of animals within the social sciences;
7. critically scrutinise dominant representations in light of recent theoretical developments in the social sciences;
8. synthesise visual imagery and written text in a coherent and critically analytical manner;
Personal and Key Skills9. engage in independent research and analysis;
10. communicate complex ideas to a diverse audience; and
11. present information utilising a variety of different media, including visual media.

Indicative Reading List

This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.

Atwood, M. 2003. Oryx and Crake. London: Virago.

Atwood, M. 2010. The Year of the Flood. London: Virago.

Baker, S. 2000. The Post-modern Animal .London: Reaktion Books.

Baker, S. 2001. Picturing the beast: Animals, identity, and representation .Urbana:University ofIllinois Press.

Bergthaller, H. (2010). ‘Housebreaking the Human Animal: Humanism and the problem of sustainability in Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood’ English Studies . 91 (7): 728-743.

Burt, J. 2002. Animals in Film .London: Reaktion Books.

Chris, C. 2006. Watching Wildlife .University ofMinnesota Press.

Coetze, J. M. 2004. Waiting for the Barbarians .London: Random House.

Connor, D. 2006. ‘The Menagerie of the Senses’ Senses & Society . 1(1): 9 – 26.

Daston, L. & Mitman, G. 2006. Thinking with animals: new perspectives on anthropomorphism .ColumbiaUniversity Press.

Derrida, J. & Wills, D. 2002. ‘The Animal That Therefore I Am (More to Follow)’ Critical Inquiry 28, no. 2: 369-418.

Descartes, Rene. 1912. Trans. John Vetch   1934. Discourse on Method. Everyman's Library. London: Dent.

Drobnick, J. 2006. ‘Oleg Kulik: Zoophrenic Odors’ Senses & Society . 1 (1): 141 – 148.

Fudge, E. 2000. Animal .London: Reaktion Books.

Fuentes, A. 2006. ‘The Humanity of Animals and the Animality of Humans: A View from Biological Anthropology Inspired by J. M. Coetzee’s Elizabeth Costello ’ American Anthropologist Volume 108 (1).

Haraway, D. 1991. Simians, Cyborgs and Women: The Reinvention of Nature . Free Association Books.

Kristoffersen, Siv. 2010. ‘Half beast–half man: hybrid figures in animal art’ World Archaeology. 42 (2): 261-272

Malamud, R. 1998. Reading zoos: representations of animals and captivity .New York:New YorkUniversity Press.

Rachels, J. 1991. Created from Animals: The Moral Implications of Darwinism. Oxford:OxfordUniversity Press.

Rothfels, N. Representing Animals .IndianaUniversity Press.

Russell, C.L. and Ankenman, M.J. 1996. Orangutans as photographic collectibles: ecotourism and the commodification of nature. Tourism Recreation Research. 21(1): 71–78.