ELIT521 Post-Colonial Studies
ELIT521 Post-Colonial Studies
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 introduces students to key arguments, terms and problems stemming from anti-colonial thought exemplified in the Anglophone literary production in the post-independence era. Drawing on postcolonial theory and through a series of close literary readings of selected works in English language, including those written by the British-colonizer, native and settler writers, students will have the opportunity to reflect on the textual construction of the postcolonial thoughts influenced by historical, social and political processes in which literature has been actively engaged in processes of decolonization and post-independence national identity formation, in particular in relation to forming new ideas about the universal rights of men and women and the individual’s sense of identity. A close analysis of the selected texts in different genres (biography/autobiography/poetry/short story / novel / political writing) may help students to better understand the socio-historical context when the works were written and/or published. The analysis of the selected texts' structure, main themes, style and linguistic devices should enhance the students’ ability to acquire a critical perspective to be utilized during further studies. More specifically, it is hoped that students will improve their overall comprehension and analytical skills to share their views with their peers, prepare presentations and write papers. Therefore, this course aims at fostering the intellectual development of students as they discover the interdisciplinary nature of research in English language and literature, which will prepare them for an academic career after the graduation.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Elleke Boehmer’s Colonial and Postcolonial Literature: Migrant Metaphors (1995, 2nd edition 2005, Oxford University Press); Clare Bradford: Unsettling Narratives (2007)
Additional Literature
The Life of Olaudah Equiano, the African (1789); Joseph Conrad: Heart of Darkness (1902); Chinua Achebe: An Image of Africa in Conrad's "The Heart of Darkness"; Chinua Achebe: Things Fall Apart (1958); Ngugi wa Thiong'o "Decolonising the Mind" (1986); Jean Rhys: Wide Sargasso Sea (1966); Banjo Paterson: The Man from Snowy River (1917); Henry Lawson: In the Days When the World Was Wide and other verses (1902); Oodgeroo Noonoccal: My People (1990); Sally Morgan: My Place (1987); Doris Pilkington Garimara: Rabbit Proof Fence (1996); M.K.Gandhi: Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule (1933); Jhumpa Lahiri: When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine (a short story from “Interpreter of Maladies” short story collection) (1999); Trevor Noad: Born a Crime (2016); Zadie Smith: White Teeth (2000)Teaching Methods
Weekly lectures; in-class discussions and group work; close reading, individual work; student self-assessment and peer evaluation; Attendance is compulsory and students are expected to attend at least 70% of the course
Students should come to class having read the assigned material and ready to take part in discussions concerning it
All students are expected to come to class with the texts being studied
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Registration period; introduction to the course and syllabus | the syllabus |
| 2 | THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: Imperialism and Textuality; Colonialist concerns; Rising of national identities; | Elleke Boehmer: Colonial and Postcolonial Literature, 2nd Ed. Oxford University Press (2005) Chapters 1, 2 and 3 ; The Life of Olaudah Equiano, the African |
| 3 | Africa: imperialism / colonialism: a novel THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: Metropolitans and Mimics | Joseph Conrad: Heart of Darkness (1902); Boehmer: Chapter 4 |
| 4 | THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: Independence; Postcolonialism; Pre-colonial life in Africa / culture / influence of colonialism on identity/religion ); a novel | Chinua Achebe: An Image of Africa in Conrad's "The Heart of Darkness"; ; Boehmer: Chapters 5,6 |
| 5 | THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: Chinua Achebe "Things Fall Apart"; Wole Soyinka by Biodun Jeyifo (Chapter 7 “Things Fall Together: Wole Soyinka in his Own Write): a biography | Chinua Achebe: Things Fall Apart; Cambridge Studies in African and Caribbean Literature (2004) |
| 6 | LANGUAGE AND (DE)COLONISATION: Ngugi wa Thiong'o "Decolonising the Mind"; Dreams of violence – moving beyond colonialism in Canadian and Caribbean Drama; postcolonial theatre | Cambridge Studies in Modern Theatre: Chapter 5: |
| 7 | Caribbean: postcolonial perspective on racism / displacement/alienation; Bertha's perspective (in reference to Bronte's Jane Eyre); a novel | Jean Rhys: Wide Sargasso Sea (1966) |
| 8 | MID-TERM EXAM | |
| 9 | Australia: the settler's perspective: poetry; indigenous / assimilation / racism; poetry | Banjo Paterson: The Man from Snowy River (1917); Henry Lawson: In the Days When the World Was Wide and other verses (1902); Oodgeroo Noonoccal: My People (1990) |
| 10 | Australia: indigenous / assimilation / racism; an autobiography; | Sally Morgan: My Place (1987); Doris Pilkington Garimara: Rabbit Proof Fence (1996) |
| 11 | THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: Asia: Passive resistance / government/political independence / social and cultural revival (political writing) | M.K.Gandhi: Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule (1933) Chapters 1 – 8; 18 |
| 12 | Transition to independence / partition of India / short story | Jhumpa Lahiri: When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine (a short story from “Interpreter of Maladies” short story collection) (1999) |
| 13 | Effects of postcolonial territorial divisions and fragmentation; national identity; migrations; second generation of the colonized/marginalized | Trevor Noad: Born a Crime (2016); Zadie Smith: White Teeth (2000) |
| 14 | THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: Postcolonial readings of children’s literature - reconstructing the past, constructing the future | Clare Bradford: Unsettling Narratives (2007) |
| 15 | Revision; preparation for final exam |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELIT521.1 | Course | Thursday 17:00 - 19:50 | B F1.22 | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 13:00 - 16:00 | B F2.22 | |
| Wednesday | 09:00 - 12:00 | B F2.22 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 3 4 5
In-term exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 3 4 5
Presentation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 5
Assignment
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 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:
Lecture Hours
42 hours ⏳ (14 week × 3 h)
Assignment
4 hours ⏳ (1 week × 4 h)
Home study
42 hours ⏳ (14 week × 3 h)
Presentation
12 hours ⏳ (2 week × 6 h)
In-term exam study
20 hours ⏳ (2 week × 10 h)
Final exam study
30 hours ⏳ (3 week × 10 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 [ELIT521] 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
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| ELIT521 | Post-Colonial Studies | 3 | 0 | 6 | Thursday 17,00 - 19.50 | |||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Vesna Suljić | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Tuesday: 13:00-16:00 Wednesday: 9:00-12:00 |
|||||||
| vsuljic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course introduces students to key arguments, terms and problems stemming from anti-colonial thought exemplified in the Anglophone literary production in the post-independence era. Drawing on postcolonial theory and through a series of close literary readings of selected works in English language, including those written by the British-colonizer, native and settler writers, students will have the opportunity to reflect on the textual construction of the postcolonial thoughts influenced by historical, social and political processes in which literature has been actively engaged in processes of decolonization and post-independence national identity formation, in particular in relation to forming new ideas about the universal rights of men and women and the individual’s sense of identity. A close analysis of the selected texts in different genres (biography/autobiography/poetry/short story / novel / political writing) may help students to better understand the socio-historical context when the works were written and/or published. The analysis of the selected texts' structure, main themes, style and linguistic devices should enhance the students’ ability to acquire a critical perspective to be utilized during further studies. More specifically, it is hoped that students will improve their overall comprehension and analytical skills to share their views with their peers, prepare presentations and write papers. Therefore, this course aims at fostering the intellectual development of students as they discover the interdisciplinary nature of research in English language and literature, which will prepare them for an academic career after the graduation. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Elleke Boehmer’s Colonial and Postcolonial Literature: Migrant Metaphors (1995, 2nd edition 2005, Oxford University Press); Clare Bradford: Unsettling Narratives (2007) | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Weekly lectures; in-class discussions and group work; close reading, individual work; student self-assessment and peer evaluation; Attendance is compulsory and students are expected to attend at least 70% of the course. Students should come to class having read the assigned material and ready to take part in discussions concerning it. All students are expected to come to class with the texts being studied. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Registration period; introduction to the course and syllabus | the syllabus | ||||||||
| Week 2 | THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: Imperialism and Textuality; Colonialist concerns; Rising of national identities; | Elleke Boehmer: Colonial and Postcolonial Literature, 2nd Ed. Oxford University Press (2005) Chapters 1, 2 and 3 ; The Life of Olaudah Equiano, the African | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Africa: imperialism / colonialism: a novel THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: Metropolitans and Mimics | Joseph Conrad: Heart of Darkness (1902); Boehmer: Chapter 4 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: Independence; Postcolonialism; Pre-colonial life in Africa / culture / influence of colonialism on identity/religion ); a novel | Chinua Achebe: An Image of Africa in Conrad's "The Heart of Darkness"; ; Boehmer: Chapters 5,6 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: Chinua Achebe "Things Fall Apart"; Wole Soyinka by Biodun Jeyifo (Chapter 7 “Things Fall Together: Wole Soyinka in his Own Write): a biography | Chinua Achebe: Things Fall Apart; Cambridge Studies in African and Caribbean Literature (2004) | ||||||||
| Week 6 | LANGUAGE AND (DE)COLONISATION: Ngugi wa Thiong'o "Decolonising the Mind"; Dreams of violence – moving beyond colonialism in Canadian and Caribbean Drama; postcolonial theatre | Cambridge Studies in Modern Theatre: Chapter 5: | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Caribbean: postcolonial perspective on racism / displacement/alienation; Bertha's perspective (in reference to Bronte's Jane Eyre); a novel | Jean Rhys: Wide Sargasso Sea (1966) | ||||||||
| Week 8 | MID-TERM EXAM | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Australia: the settler's perspective: poetry; indigenous / assimilation / racism; poetry | Banjo Paterson: The Man from Snowy River (1917); Henry Lawson: In the Days When the World Was Wide and other verses (1902); Oodgeroo Noonoccal: My People (1990) | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Australia: indigenous / assimilation / racism; an autobiography; | Sally Morgan: My Place (1987); Doris Pilkington Garimara: Rabbit Proof Fence (1996) | ||||||||
| Week 11 | THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: Asia: Passive resistance / government/political independence / social and cultural revival (political writing) | M.K.Gandhi: Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule (1933) Chapters 1 – 8; 18 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Transition to independence / partition of India / short story | Jhumpa Lahiri: When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine (a short story from “Interpreter of Maladies” short story collection) (1999) | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Effects of postcolonial territorial divisions and fragmentation; national identity; migrations; second generation of the colonized/marginalized | Trevor Noad: Born a Crime (2016); Zadie Smith: White Teeth (2000) | ||||||||
| Week 14 | THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: Postcolonial readings of children’s literature - reconstructing the past, constructing the future | Clare Bradford: Unsettling Narratives (2007) | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Revision; preparation for final exam | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| In-term exam | 1 | 30 | 3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Presentation | 2 | 20 | 1,2,3,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Assignment | 1 | 10 | 1,2,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 3 | 14 | 42 | Assignment | 4 | 1 | 4 | |||
| Home study | 3 | 14 | 42 | Presentation | 6 | 2 | 12 | |||
| In-term exam study | 10 | 2 | 20 | Final exam study | 10 | 3 | 30 | |||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 19/02/2026 | |||||||||