ELIT413 Literary Theory and Criticism II
ELIT413 Literary Theory and Criticism II
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Feb 02, 2026
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English Language and Literature
Vesna Suljić
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course is designed to expose students to literary theory and criticism. Students will read material that cover key components of literary analysis such as feminist theory, poststructualism, postcolonialism and etc,. They will apply the theoretical premises and techniques to selected literary selections so as to understand more fully those techniques and to better understand the nature of literature in general and specific literary texts in particular. They will explore theorists and the interconnections of the theories.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
"Literary Theory; The Basics, Hans Bertens, Routledge 2014 Critical Theory Today: A User- Friendly Guide, Lois Tyson, Routledge 2006
Additional Literature
The Post-Colonial Studies Reader, Bill Ashkroft, Gareth Griffits, Helen Tiffin, Routledge 1995"Teaching Methods
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Film screening: Caché (Hidden). Dir. Michael Haneke, 2005 | |
| 2 | Guilt and the History of Violence in Michael Haneke’s Caché’; Postcolonial Theory | Tyson 417-447 |
| 3 | On Orientalism' E. Said (video+text) 'Can the subaltern speak' Spivak, | Postcolonial Reader |
| 4 | Economy of Menichian allegory' A. JanMohamed, 'Immagined Communities' Anderson | Postcolonial Reader |
| 5 | Poststructalism Theory and Practice | Tyson 249-280 |
| 6 | Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences' Derrida, | Bartens Chapter 3 |
| 7 | Coetzee 'Dusklands' Quiz 1 | |
| 8 | Midterm exam progress review MIDTERM | |
| 9 | Feminism | Tyson 83-131 |
| 10 | Poststructuralism continued: Foucault, Lacan, postmodernism, French feminism | Berthens 123-150 |
| 11 | Sexuality, Literature, and culture | Berthens 195-213 |
| 12 | Posthumanism, ecocriticism, and animal studies Quiz 2 | Berthens 213-233 |
| 13 | Presentations (speaking and writing) | |
| 14 | Presentations (speaking and writing) | |
| 15 | Final Exam Coover "The Public Burning", Atwood" Alias Grace" |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELIT413.1 | Course | Monday 15:00 - 17:50 | B F2.8 | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 08:00 - 12:00 | A F3.25 | |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 12:00 | A F3.25 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Midterm
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Presentation
AI: AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 3 4 5
Quiz
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Quiz II
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Attending the Lectures
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
Quiz.+ Presentation
44 hours ⏳ (11 week × 4 h)
Home study/Revision
13 hours ⏳ (13 week × 1 h)
Studying for The Midterm Exam
24 hours ⏳ (3 week × 8 h)
Studying for The Final Exam
24 hours ⏳ (3 week × 8 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [ELIT413] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Feb 02, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
Print Syllabus
Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| ELIT413 | Literary Theory and Criticism II | 3 | 1 | 6 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | Senior Standing | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Vesna Suljić | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Monday: 8:30-12:00 Wednesday: 8:30-12:00 |
|||||||
| vsuljic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | mcengic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course is designed to expose students to literary theory and criticism. Students will read material that cover key components of literary analysis such as feminist theory, poststructualism, postcolonialism and etc,. They will apply the theoretical premises and techniques to selected literary selections so as to understand more fully those techniques and to better understand the nature of literature in general and specific literary texts in particular. They will explore theorists and the interconnections of the theories. |
|||||||||
| Textbook | "Literary Theory; The Basics, Hans Bertens, Routledge 2014 Critical Theory Today: A User- Friendly Guide, Lois Tyson, Routledge 2006 | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | ||||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Film screening: Caché (Hidden). Dir. Michael Haneke, 2005 | |||||||||
| Week 2 | Guilt and the History of Violence in Michael Haneke’s Caché’; Postcolonial Theory | Tyson 417-447 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | On Orientalism' E. Said (video+text) 'Can the subaltern speak' Spivak, | Postcolonial Reader | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Economy of Menichian allegory' A. JanMohamed, 'Immagined Communities' Anderson | Postcolonial Reader | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Poststructalism Theory and Practice | Tyson 249-280 | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences' Derrida, | Bartens Chapter 3 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Coetzee 'Dusklands' Quiz 1 | |||||||||
| Week 8 | Midterm exam progress review MIDTERM | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Feminism | Tyson 83-131 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Poststructuralism continued: Foucault, Lacan, postmodernism, French feminism | Berthens 123-150 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Sexuality, Literature, and culture | Berthens 195-213 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Posthumanism, ecocriticism, and animal studies Quiz 2 | Berthens 213-233 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Presentations (speaking and writing) | |||||||||
| Week 14 | Presentations (speaking and writing) | |||||||||
| Week 15 | Final Exam Coover "The Public Burning", Atwood" Alias Grace" | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 30 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm | 1 | 30 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Presentation | 1 | 20 | 1,3,4,,5 | Allowed | |
| Quiz | 1 | 10 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Quiz II | 1 | 10 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Attending the Lectures | 3 | 15 | 45 | Quiz.+ Presentation | 4 | 11 | 44 | |||
| Home study/Revision | 1 | 13 | 13 | Studying for The Midterm Exam | 8 | 3 | 24 | |||
| Studying for The Final Exam | 8 | 3 | 24 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 19/02/2026 | |||||||||