Postgraduate Module Descriptor

ANTM100: The Animal Mirror: Representations of Animality

This module descriptor refers to the 2018/9 academic year.

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.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

  • Animality, liminality & the human/animal binary
  • Language and semiotics
  • The real and the representational
  • Historical representations in art
  • Animal exhibits – zoos, circuses, aquariums
  • Photographic representations of animals
  • Taxidermied animals
  • Aesthetics and breeds
  • Anthropomorphism, egomorphism and zoomorphism
  • Animals in film
  • Animals in advertising
  • Media representations of animals
  • Postmodern and posthumanist representations of animals

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
201300

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities 10.57 x 90 minute podcast audio lectures with accompanying PowerPoint presentations
Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities 9.56 x 90 minute discussion/seminar participations plus one 30 minute introductory seminar about the assignments
Guided Independent Study 45Preparation and reading for weekly lectures and seminars
Guided Independent Study 20Preparation for formative assessments Q&A discussions on the ELE discussion forums
Guided Independent Study 60Research and writing of summative assessments
Guided Independent Study 5Attendance at an exhibition

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

ELE - vle.exeter.ac.uk