These so-called minor literary genres

Teacher(s)

De Croix Severine;

Language

French

Main themes

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	Provide a theoretical definition of the concepts of literary legitimacy, literary genres and paraliterature and develop a critical approach to them;
2	Be familiar with the specific features of  "minor" genres such as children's literature, illustrated literature and songs, and their main developments;
3	Analyse and interpret works from these genres using a relevant theoretical apparatus;
4	Describe and critically analyse the production and reception of works in so-called minor literary genres (practices - digital and non-digital - of readers/listeners/viewers, authors, publishers, etc.).
This learning unit contributes to the development and command of the following skills and learning outcomes of the ELAL programmes (ELAL learning outcomes): 1.4; 1.5; 1.6; 2.6; 4.3.

Content

The first part of the course deals with the question of legitimacy in literature and the notions of literary genres and paraliterature. Using notional and socio-institutional approaches, the course leads students to problematise ‘genres’ and the phenomenon of genericity, and to identify the specific features of ‘paraliterary’ genres (spheres of production and dissemination, issues and difficulties of categorisation, legitimisation processes, etc.).
The second part of the course focuses on the study of so-called ‘minor’ literary genres, which fall into three distinct categories: literature for young people (literature of the oral, the imaginary, the real, etc., including digital multimodal forms), illustrated literature (albums, illustrated texts, graphic novels, comic strips, manga, etc.) and songs (particularly rap and slam). The aim of this part of the course is to develop students' knowledge of the main developments in the three genres studied and their ability to identify their constituent features. The course will also enable students to acquire theoretical concepts and approaches useful for interpreting literary works in these genres and groups (editorial strategies, implicit or explicit target audience, intended effects on the reader, themes and ideologies, structure, form, style, intertextuality, etc.) and for analysing their reception.

Teaching methods

Alternating complementary approaches:

• Presentations or readings (of literary texts, chapters and/or scientific articles) followed by a discussion aimed at comprehension, debate or interactive reflection;
• Role-playing exercises followed by reflection;
• Individual and group practical exercises (classification, reading and analysis, interpretation, oral presentation, etc.).

Evaluation methods

Formative activities are offered as part of the course. Students receive feedback to help them progress in the development of their learning outcomes.
Assessment takes the form of a written exam in the January session. Students must demonstrate their ability to :

• define on a theoretical level the notions of literary legitimacy, literary genres and paraliterature and develop a critical reflection on them;
• identify, on the basis of specific works or representative extracts from them, the characteristics and specific features of the ‘minor’ genres of children's literature, illustrated literature or song and their main developments;
• analyse and interpret works, particularly iconotextual works, from these genres, using relevant theoretical apparatus.
• describe and critically analyse the production and reception of works in minor literary genres (practices - digital and non-digital - of readers/listeners/viewers, authors, publishers, etc.).

The assessment procedures are identical for the June and September sessions.
In written work produced apart from the written examination, generative artificial intelligence (AI) must be used responsibly and in accordance with the practices of academic and scientific integrity, This means that all sources must be cited in accordance with bibliographic referencing standards and that any use of an AI must be explicitly stated (this means indicating all the parts in which an AI was used and specifying, for example in a footnote, whether the AI was used to search for information, to write the text or to correct it). 

Other information

Students receive a selective bibliography during the first sessions of the course.

Online resources

The course is based on the moodle platform, which offers texts and documents to be read, slideshows used during class sessions, tasks to be completed (in class or outside class) and additional resources (course code LFRA1101).

Faculty or entity

> ELAL