2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

ARTF3064 Art, Ecology and Empire

20 creditsClass Size: 18

Module manager: Dr Anna Reid
Email: A.Reid1@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module explores the emergence of an ecological imagination in nineteenth century British art and visual culture including in its Imperial contexts. This period, marked by anti-ecological processes of both industrial revolution and colonial expansion, also gave rise to new knowledge in natural science (theories of geological time and of evolution, for example). We will trace how art and science mutually informed, unsettling and upending anthropocentric beliefs in the pre-eminence of human life and generating innovative and prescient visions of the natural world.

Objectives

This module aims to enrich your understanding of the relationship between art and the Earth system in a present context of environmental crisis. It does this by taking a broad purview, focusing on nineteenth century art and visual culture that exposes, challenges and also re-imagines the anti-ecological structures of industrialisation and colonial extraction (which cast a long shadow). You will gain in-depth knowledge of ecocritical art history and of how we can conceive of our work in art history as proto-ecological practice.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
You will be able to:
1. Recognise a range of artists and visual materials in their relation to themes of ecology and empire in nineteenth century British contexts
2. Apply ecocritical and / or postcolonial methodology
3. Develop an interdisciplinary approach (I.e. reference the history of art and the history of science)
4. Construct a written critical perspective using primary and secondary course material

Skills learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
5. Creative and contextual thinking: experience of new ways of thinking about the form and purpose of academic work.
6. Information Searching: ability to use library and collection catalogues to locate, use and reference the range of primary and secondary module materials and to access and use global digital resources

Skills learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
5. Creative and contextual thinking: experience of new ways of thinking about the form and purpose of academic work.
6. Information Searching: ability to use library and collection catalogues to locate, use and reference the range of primary and secondary module materials and to access and use global digital resources

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lectures	10	1.00	10.00
seminars	10	1.00	10.00
Private study hours			180.00
Total Contact hours			20.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Formative assessment – 750 words – submission week 5 with a mark counting as 20% of the final mark – written feedback will be given. The formative assessment is an opportunity to develop skills in written analysis and argumentation that will support the student in writing the final assessment.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Assignment	Coursework (Formative) Demonstration of analysis of key works using ecocritical and / or postcolonial method	20.00
Assignment	Demonstration of ecocritical and/ or postcolonial approach and argumentation in extended form with full referencing	80.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2024 16:10:27

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