Course Details in 2026/27 Session

Module Title	LI The Social Life of Literature
School	Eng, Drama, & Creative Studies
Department	English Literature
Module Code	09 38960
Module Lead	Rebecca Roach
Level	Intermediate Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 2
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	Students must have studied either Digital Media and Communications or English Literature at level C.
Contact Hours	Lecture-10 hours Seminar-20 hours Guided independent study-170 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	This module explores how we interact with literature today. Far from books existing in a vacuum, they come to us through multiple channels—newspaper reviews, word of mouth, prizes, Instagram pictures, Goodreads—and we read in multiple ways—on our own, in groups, online, offline. In this module we will consider the ways in which communities discover, read and talk about books in the twenty-first century has changed from earlier eras and how these changes affect reading practices. Questions we might cover include: How might Amazon recommendations, book prizes and Tweets shape who, what and how people read? What is the value of an author interview for literary critics? How might attendance at poetry readings or book festivals change how people access literature? What does it mean to listen to an audiobook rather than ‘read’ it? Are fan fiction and adaptations a kind of reading? Does the layout of a bookstore affect what people read? What are the implications of university canon formation and funding policies on the kinds of texts that get read?. This module will introduce students to a range of case studies (literature, criticism and related media) as we think about how texts exist in society, and the ways in which reading can be a social activity.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Demonstrate understanding of how institutions, social activities and markets shape the types of texts that get read and the ways we respond to them today; Critically engage with the key theoretical concepts and methodologies utilised in the study of contemporary literary culture and reading communities; Analyse a range of paratexts, including tweets, marketing campaigns, syllabi and reader reviews, for the effects they can have on reading practices; Demonstrate ability to tailor communication style for context and audience
Assessment
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment: A portfolio consisting of a 2,000-word (or equivalent) project (60%) and a 1,500-word critical reflection (40%), for submission together at the end of the module. Reassessment: Failed component only A portfolio consisting of a 2,000-word (or equivalent) project (60%) and a 1,500-word critical reflection (40%), for submission together at the end of the module.
Other
Reading List