Cultures of the English-speaking World – Bibliography and presentation topics
Texts on Moodle
Ideas for presentation topics
Introduction to course: Getting started
Definitions (from Wikipedia online sources)
Bennet, J., & Bennet, M. (2004). Developing Intercultural Sensitivity: An Interactive Approach to Global and Domestic
Diversity. In D. Landis, J. M. Bennet, & M. J. Bennet (Eds.), Handbook of Intercultural Training (Third Edition ed., pp.
152-158). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.
Surkamp, C. (2012). Literarische Texte im kompetenzorientierten Fremdsprachunterricht. In W. Hallet & U. Krämer
(Eds.), Kompetenzaufgaben im Englischunterricht. Grundlagen und Unterrichtsbeispiele (pp. 77-90). Seelze: Friedrich
Verlag GmbH.
Gottschall, J. (2012, April 29). Why fiction is good for you, Online article. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from
https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2012/04/28/why-fiction-good-for-you-how-fiction-changes-yourworld/nubDy1P3viDj2PuwGwb3KO/story.html
Bury, L. (2013, October 8). Reading literary fiction improves empathy, study finds Online article. The Guardian.
Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/oct/08/literary-fiction-improves-empathy-study
Kidd, D. C., & Castano, E. (2013). Reading Literary Fiction Improves
Theory of Mind. Science, 342(6156), 377-380. doi:10.1126/science.1239918
Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. ‘The Danger of a Single Story’. TED Ideas Worth Spreading, July 2009.
Britain
Ideas for presentation topics
Britain I: History
O'Driscoll, J. (1995). History. In Britain: The Country and its People - An
Introduction for Learners of English (pp. 15-30). Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
A survey or any negotiated aspect of
British History.
Britain II: Education & class structure:
Russell, W. (1980). Scene 3. In Educating Rita (pp. 66-79). London: Royal
Shakespeare Company.
Britain III: Queen Elizabeth II :
McAllister, J. F. O. (2006, April 9). A Woman's Work is Never Done. Time.
Britain IV:Transformation of the British Monarchy
Curry, Michael. Bishop Michael Curry's royal wedding sermon – full text
Walmsley, D. (2011, April 29). William and Kate's crowning moment, and
ours, too Editorial. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from
http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/europe/the-royal-wedding/royalwedding-analysis/william-and-kates-crowning-moment-and-ourstoo/article2003870/?service=mobile
Jefferson, M. (2018, May 5). No Cinderella: Margo Jefferson on the real
Meghan Markle. The Guardian. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/may/05/meghan-markle-royalwedding-margo-jefferson
Waldie, P. (2013, July 24). The new face of royal fever. The Globe and
Mail, p. 1;5.
Carrington, B. (2017, December 17). Is the British monarchy actually
adapting to changing social norms? The Conversation. Retrieved from
http://theconversation.com/is-the-british-monarchy-actually-adapting-tochanging-social-norms-88285
Institute for Primary Education
Education and social class in Britain
1970s
(Film starring Michael Caine & Julie
Walters)
Reign and the Queen’s professional
‘work’:
A Jubilee Tribute to the Queen by the
Prince of Wales (DVD)
British icons and symbols, the
‘reinvention’ of the British Monarchy.
Megzit 2020 – Links to news stories and related articles on Meghan and
Harry.
Britain V: Multicultural Britain:
Smith, L. (2018, May 3). Multicultural Britain: What Does it Mean?
Retrieved from http://www.aboutimmigration.co.uk/multicultural-
Immigration, integration & racism.
britain-what-does-mean.html
Manzoor, S. (2004). Second Generasians. Spotlight, 23, 11-13.
Joshi, S. (2014). British Asians have transformed public life – and long
may it continue, Online article. The Telegraph. Retrieved from
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/10760324/BritishAsians-have-transformed-public-life-and-long-may-it-continue.html
John Agard & Nathaniel Zephaniah, selected poetry, background and links
to their performances.
Manzoor, S_My father’s house. Extract from Greetings from Bury Park.
(2008)
Greetings from Bury Park and Blinded by the Light reviews.
Articles, links and reviews about a second-generation Pakistani teenager
growing up in Luton and discovering Bruce Springsteen’s music.
Cloake, J. A., & Tudor, M. R. (2001). Multicultural Britain. Oxford, United
Kingdom: Oxford University Press. (Book available at FHNW Library)
Evaristo, B. (2019). Girl, Woman, Other. Penguin Books.
Black women in education & British
society.
Ireland
Ireland I: Angela’s Ashes
McCourt, F. (1996). Chapter IV. In Angela's Ashes. A Memoir (pp. 124145). New York: Scribner.
Irish Catholicism and poverty, (film) social
deprivation, alcohol, Irish poverty as a
reason for emigration.
Ireland II: Storytelling & legends
‘Cuchulainn’
Maguire, B. (1987). The Boyne Valley book of Irish Legends. Dublin:
O'Brien Press Ltd. With audio files!
Storytelling in Ireland and old legends.
Ireland III: The Storytelling tradition
O'Toole, F. (2014, September 20). Culture Shock: Dirty minds and no holy
families in Eamon Kelly’s Kerry. The Irish Times. Retrieved from
https://www.irishtimes.comculture/culture-shock-dirty-minds-and-no-holyfamilies-in-eamon-kelly-s-kerry-1.1932342 Incl. links to Kelly’s short films.
Irish storytelling tradition (seanachai)
https://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AWriters/EamonKelly.html
Ireland IV: Catholic Church & Schooling
O'Loughlin, E. (2018, June 1). Ireland Takes On the Catholic Church
Again. This Time It’s About Schools., Online article. The New York Times.
Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/01/world/europe/irelandcatholic-church-baptism-schools.html
https://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone/2012/0702/647108-documentarypodcast-man-behind-the-stories-eamon-kelly-actor-storyteller-seanachai/
Also short videos of E. Kelly telling stories on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3B_XKe7VRo
USA
Institute for Primary Education
Catholic Church and schooling in Ireland.
USA I: The Great Depression
Steinbeck, J. (1941). Chapter 17. In The Grapes of Wrath (pp. 212-220).
New York: Sun Dial Press.
Steinbeck: World Economic Crisis, The
Great Depression / New Deal vs.
Pioneering the American West (film).
USA II: Martin Luther King/Black Lives Matter
, ‘I have a dream’ speech. (online sources)
(Audio file) Excerpt from ML King’s speech. Track 1.3 from Language
LEADER Coursebook, Pearson Longman (2008).
American racial question, particularly
Southern states, Life of Martin Luther
King, segregation, bussing, Ku-Klux-Klan,
history of slavery.
Als, Hilton (2020) Toni Morrison’s profound and unrelenting vision: A
critique of The Bluest Eye. The New Yorker
Black Lives Matter
Morrison, Toni (1970). The Bluest Eye. Excerpts from Morrison, Toni.
(1990) The bluest eye. London: Picador
USA III:
Silko, L. M. (1974). The Man to Send Rain Clouds. In K. Rosen (Ed.), The
Man to Send Rain Clouds: Contemporary Stories by American Indians.
New York: Viking Press.
Native Americans, Clash of ‘religions’:
Christianity vs natural beliefs
USA IV:
Inaugural Addresses of Recent American Presidents
Clinton 1993/7, Bush 2005, Obama 2009, Trump 2017, Biden 2021
Gorman, A. (2021). Inaugural poem: “The Hill We Climb”.
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/20/politics/amanda-gorman-inauguralpoem-transcript/index.html
Comparisons of the speeches in
connection with recent American politics,
recent election campaigns
USA V:
Bader, C. (2011). "Occupy Wall Street" Protests in New York City. New
York: Consulate General of Switzerland in New York.
Background and scope of the protest,
banking crisis, ethics in economy.
USA VI: The Mexican Border
Boyle, T. C. (1995). Chapter 1. In The Tortilla Curtain (pp. 3-15). London:
Bloomsbury.
Edwards, H. S. (2018, March 19). Bye Dad, I Love You. Time, 191, 24-30.
Walters, J. (2017, September 14). What is Daca and who are the
Dreamers?, Online article. The Guardian. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/sep/04/donald-trump-what-isdaca-dreamers
The Mexican-California border, Mexican
migration to US. Social attitudes.
American immigration policy. ‘Dreamers’.
USA VII: Growing up Indian in USA
Alexie, S. (2007). Hope Against Hope. In The Absolutely True Diary of a
Part-Time Indian (First paperback edition ed., pp. 32-43). London:
Andersen Press.
Additional reading: Alexie, S. (2007). How to Fight Monsters /
Grandmother Gives Me Some Advice / Dance, Dance, Dance. In The
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (First paperback edition ed.,
pp. 54-73; 118-129). London: Andersen Press.
Alexie, S._Two Poems_Native Americans
Growing up Indian in USA, life on a
reservation.
USA VIII: Slavery
Haley, Alex (1991)_Roots_ch. 37.
Monk Kidd, Sue_The Invention of Wings_Chap. 1-2.
Slavery
Canada
Ideas for presentation topics
Canada I:
Morgan, B. (1992). Chapter 11. In Random Passage (pp. 135-151). St.
John's: Breakwater Books.
History of settlements in Newfoundland,
cod fishing (moratorium 1992)
Canada II:
Scottish immigration (immigration to
Canada), Presbyterian religion: Life in a
Institute for Primary Education
Laurence, M. (1963). The Loons. In A Bird in the House: Stories (pp. 108120). Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Canada III:
Harris, M. (1998, September). A Gift of Understanding. Books in Canada,
28, 6-7.
Wiebe, R. & J., Yvonne. (1998). Chapter 6 - Growing up in a Beer Bottle.
In Stolen Life: The Journey of a Cree Woman (pp. 147-174). Toronto:
Alfred A. Knopf. Rudy Wiebe & Yvonne Johnson (1998), Stolen life
Obomsawin, A. (Writer). (2017). Our People Will Be Healed [DVD].
In A. Obomsawin (Producer). Montreal: National Film Board of Canada.
small prairie town, dependence of women
in male-dominated society, talk about M.
Laurence.
Review and background on Rudy Wiebe
and Yvonne Johnson, Stolen life, first
nations people and social deprivation,
Cree Indians, North West Rebellion,
Temptation of Big Bear.
Diversity in schools; how First Nations’
values are incorporated into this Canadian
school curriculum; the role of school in the
community.
Australia
Australia I:
Lawson, H. (1894). The Drover's Wife. In Short Stories in Prose and
Verse. Sidney: Louisa Lawson.
Life in the outback in colonial times,
natural dangers in Australia, role of
women, symbols of the Australian mind.
Australia II:
Paterson, A. B. B. (1895). Waltzing Matilda.
Symbols of the Australian mind.
Australia III:
Keneally, T. (1972). Chapters 1-3. In The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (pp.
1-23). New York: Viking Press.
Bader, R. (2002). Australian Literature. In C. Jahnson (Ed.), Companion to
the new literatures in English (pp. 137-173). Berlin: Erich Schmidt.
Aborigines
Australia IV:
Winton, T. (1985). Neighbours. In M. Lord (Ed.), The Penguin Best
Australian Short Stories (pp. 299-302). London: Penguin Books Ltd.
Multiculturism in Australia, living together
in suburbs, demographic aspects of
Australia; aspects of acculturation and
intercultural sensitivity.
Australia V:
Villella, F. (2002). Long Road Home: Phillip Noyce’s Rabbit-Proof Fence.
Australian Cinema and Culture. Retrieved from
http://sensesofcinema.com/2002/australian-cinema-and-culture/rabbit/
Aborigines’ treatment by white Australians
in the early 20th century.
Australia VI: Nicholas, H. & R. Jana. (2015). "Down Under" entdecken.
Looking at Germany through Australian eyes. Grundschule Englisch, 52, 2- Australien als Thema im
Englischunterricht an der Primarschule;
3.
work with teaching examples from
Dressler, C. (2015). Australia - Why and How to Teach. Das Thema
Grundschule Englisch’ 2015/52
"Australien im Englischunterricht. Grundschule Englisch, 52, 4-5.
New Zealand
New Zealand I:
Sargeson, F. (1939 18 January). The Making of a New Zealander.
Tomorrow, 5, 180-182.
Cultural myths of NZ, male chauvinism,
talk about the author.
New Zealand II:
Frame, J. (1984). The Day of the Sheep. In You Are Now Entering The
Human Heart. London: Women's Press Ltd.
Sheep farming in NZ, landscapes,
environmental issues, talk about the
author
New Zealand III:
Narayanaswami, R. K. I. (1970). A Horse and Two Goats. In A Horse and
Two Goats and Other Stories. New York: Viking Press.
?
New Zealand IV:
Beautrais, A. (2016). Umlaut.
https://www.pantograph-punch.com/post/umlaut
The significance of names; migration &
New Zealand identity.
Institute for Primary Education
India
Indian history, partition (1947
Pakistan/India, Hindus & Muslims), talk
about the author
Modern India, clash of East and West, Bollywood film industry; Indian
traditions, arranged marriages, interpretation of film with excerpts
India I: Rushdie, S. (1981). Methwold / Tick, Tock. In Midnight's Children
(pp. 105 - 138). London: Cage.
India II: Monsoon Wedding (Film review)
West Indies/Caribbean
West Indies:
Kincaid, J. (1988). Chapter 1. In A Small Place (pp. 1-3). London: Virago.
Cultural complexity of the Caribbean
West Indies:
Naipaul, V. S. (1959). B. Wordsworth. In Miguel Street (pp. 45-52).
London: André Deutsch Ltd.
‘Translation’ (kulturelle Versetzung), talk
about the author
Tobago/Trinidad:
Espinet, R. The Swinging Bridge (excerpt). 2003. (pp. 142-146).
Reviews of The Swinging Bridge and further links.
Novel about an Indo-Trinidadian who
moved to Canada.
Africa (East)
Africa I:
Thiong'o, N. W. (1995). The Language of African Literature. In B. Ashcroft,
G. Gareth & Helen Tiffin (Eds.), The Post-Colonial Studies Reader (pp.
285-290). London: Routledge. (Original publication 1981).
No talk, only in combination with another
text theoretical article (New Literatures in
English)
Africa (West)
Africa II:
Achebe, C. (1995). Named for Victoria, Queen of England. In B. Ashcroft,
G. Gareth & Helen Tiffin (Eds.), The Post-Colonial Studies Reader (pp.
190-193). London: Routledge. (Original publication 1973).
Situation of the (post-)colonial writer, talk
about the author
Africa III:
Adichie, C. N. (2007). Chapters 10-12. In Half of a Yellow Sun (pp. 142155). New York: Harper Perennial. Incl. appendix.
Nigeria-Biafra war in late 1960’s; love and
war.
Africa (South)
Africa IV:
Gordimer, N. (2000). Read All About It: The Way They See Us. In L.
Browne & G. Harper (Eds.), Touchpaper Contemporary Pamphlets (Vol.
1). London: Waterstones.
Talk about the author.
Africa V:
Gordimer, N. (1975). Some Monday For Sure. In Selected Short Stories
(pp. 306-322). London: Cape.
Young black becoming involved in
terrorist activities during Apartheid era,
talk about text, Apartheid or author
Africa VI: J.M.
Coetzee, J. M. (2011). Fifteen. In Disgrace (pp. 123-133). London:
Vintage. (Original publication 1999).
Situation in post-Apartheid South Africa,
rape in SA, Nelson Mandela, courts of
reconciliation, talk about the author
Institute for Primary Education