Content (Syllabus outline)

This course presents the history of narratology from its early beginnings in Antiquity until the modern postclassical phase and the relationship between narratological and contextual narrative research. According to the modern conception, narratives are not only literary phenomenon, but also broader media and cultural phenomenon, whose epistemological structure helps give meaning to the self and the world, which is why narratology or the theory of narrative can also be viewed as an attempt to elucidate and strengthen narrative competence. From this perspective, the concept of the narrative turn, which has recently taken hold in the humanities and social sciences, is explained. The main part of the lectures is dedicated to the analytical-descriptive method of studying narrative (the elements of narrative structure and narrative techniques) and its interlacement with interpretation, with the main focus on verbal narratives.

Readings:

• Alber, Jan in Monika Fludernik, ur. Postclassical Narratology: Approaches and Analysis. Columbus: Ohio State University, 2010.
• Fludernik, Monika. An Introduction to Narratology. London in New York: Routledge, 2009.
• Herman, David, Manfred Jahn in Marie-Laure Ryan, ur. Routledge Encyclopedia of Narrative Theory. London in New York: Routledge, 2005.
• Herman, David, ur. The Cambridge Companion to Narrative. Cambridge in New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
• Herman, David. Storytelling and the Sciences of Mind. Cambridge in London: MIT Press, 2013.
• Kindt, Tom in Hans-Harald Müller, ur. What is Narratology? Questions and Answers Regarding the Status of a Theory. Berlin in New York: De Gruyter, 2003.
• Koron, Alenka. Sodobne teorije pripovedi. Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, 2014.
• Koron, Alenka. Pripovedni prostor v Idini kocki Suzane Tratnik. Marko Juvan, ur.: Prostori slovenske književnosti. Ljubljana: Založba ZRC, ZRC SAZU, 2016. 299–311.
• Koron, Alenka in Dejan Kos, ur. Literatura in pripoved. Primerjalna književnost1 (2020).
• Phelan, James. Living to Tell about it: A Rhetoric and Ethics of Character Narration. Ithaca in London: Cornell University Press, 2005.
• Phelan, James in Peter J. Rabinowicz, ur. A Companion to Narrative Theory. Malden: Blackwell, 2005.
• Zupan Sosič, Alojzija. Teorija pripovedi. Maribor: Litera, 2017.

Objectives and competences

Students become acquainted with a history of narratology from Antiquity until the present and understand the specifics of the classical narratological approach compared to contextual ones. They are introduced to the broader and narrower concept of narrative and its role in the constitution of the self. They are familiarized with the concept of the narrative turn and understand its role in modern social sciences and the humanities. They are acquainted with the analytical-descriptive approach to narration and various narrative techniques, and learn to use basic instruments for analysing verbal narratives.

Intended learning outcomes

Students use the knowledge acquired in the course to write a piece of academic writing that can serve as a draft of a dissertation chapter or a research article.

Learning and teaching methods:

Types of learning/teaching:

• Frontal teaching
• Work in smaller groups or pair work
• Independent students work
• e-learning

Teaching methods:

• Explanation
• Conversation/discussion/debate
• Work with texts
• Case studies

Assessment

• Long written assignment (70 %),
• Presentation (20 %),
• Active participation in lectures and seminars (10 %).