Cultures of Contemporary Great Britain Ii

The course draws on the tools of Cultural Studies to offer practical applications of the knowledge imparted during the corresponding first-year course, which focused on the analysis of English cultural productions and expressive practices — particularly popular creative forms and narratives.
The mechanisms of inclusive/plural storytelling will be used to: rephrase existing texts to make sure that they are inclusive and respectful of diverse identities; produce various types of texts, including texts for the web, to shed light on identities that are perceived as marginal; identify and apply interaction dynamics (teamwork, groupwork, etc.) taking into account the concepts of otherness, ideology, in-between spaces, marginality, mimicry and other similar notions related to Cultural Studies. The course will be largely practical and collaborative, employing innovative teaching methodologies and technologies (e.g. flipped classroom, interactive classes, Wooclap). This teaching approach aims to engage students in hands-on group works and interactions in English, helping them truly understand and produce communication models in diverse and intercultural contexts.
Learning objectives include:
- advanced knowledge and critical understanding of a variety of English cultural practices, textual and artistic products (both spontaneous and codified) on diversity-related topics and the connected processes of cultural hybridisation;
- fruitful applications of the tools of Cultural Studies to the context of contemporary Britain, along with the ability to trace the historical developments that contributed to shaping current dynamics related to the topics covered during the course;
- the ability to apply the theoretical knowledge acquired during the first-year course to real discursive exchanges, and to develop coordination and interaction strategies that respect differences in ethnicity, gender, class, religion and age;
- the ability to critically analyse communication models across various media under the lens of identity, inclusivity and diversity, and to use this ability to produce fairer and more respectful texts.

Students are expected to consolidate the learning outcomes achieved during the first-year course. In addition, they should demonstrate the ability to design a project aligned with the course's focus and themes, interact effectively to carry it out, develop coordination and communication strategies using the acquired tools, and produce written materials that reflect a critical understanding of the texts analysed, addressing their criticalities. These materials may be of various types (media, performative, musical, or literary texts), provided that they are related to the topics covered during the course and produced using the critical tools of Cultural Studies. Teamwork will be an integral part of the course, so students are expected to learn to organise their work and collaborate in English.