SP2LS: Literature and Society in the Modern Hispanic World

Module code: SP2LS

Module provider: Languages and Cultures; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: 5

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Cherilyn Elston , email: c.elston@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: No placement specified

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 3 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

During the twentieth century the societies of the Spanish-speaking world underwent profound social, political and cultural transformations, ranging from modernisation to dictatorship, civil conflict to democracy, to changing ideas about race, gender and identity. This module examines how literature reflected and shaped these transformations. Through analysing some of the most important literary texts published in Spain and Latin America in the twentieth century and locating these texts in major literary movements, the course will explore both the evolution of literature and the key role that literary texts played in shaping Hispanic societies in the modern era.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Understand how literature reflected, represented and shaped social change in the Hispanic world in the twentieth century.
2. Critically analyse primary and secondary sources, including literary sources in the Spanish language.
3. Apply relevant theoretical frameworks to the analysis of literary sources and their contexts.
4. Construct effective written and oral arguments.

Module content

Topics for study may include:  

• Modernismo
• The poetry of the Spanish Civil War
• La novela de la dictadura
• Testimonio
• The Latin American female “boom”
• Afro-Latin American and indigenous literature

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars. Students will be required to do preparatory reading for each seminar, participate in class discussion and undertake small-group work.  

Study hours

At least 20 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Students may submit an essay plan or 500 words of their essay for feedback.

Reassessment

Additional costs