This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of contemporary travel writing (19th and 20th century). After defining the reaches and limits of the travel genre and examining issues in canonical contemporary travel texts, we focus on travel writing in Spain and Europe through texts by European and American authors. Special attention is paid to the ways in which travel writing negotiates notions of identity and otherness, the self and difference. Because we are aiming at a truly intercultural focus, texts in both English and Spanish are read (readings in Spanish are optional for those students able to read in Spanish). Students also produce their own travel writing in a workshop-style format.
Attendance policy:
Attendance is mandatory for all IES classes, including field studies. Any exams, tests, presentations, or other work missed due to student absences can only be rescheduled in cases of documented medical or family emergencies. If a student misses more than three classes in any course half a letter grade will be deducted from the final grade for every additional absence. Seven absences in any course will result in a failing grade.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students are able to:
• Explain the ways in which a travel writer’s works are linked to cultural identity;
• Identify how travel and travel writing are determined not only by novelty, but also by awareness of oneself;
• Recognize some conceptual tools required to study literary texts;
• Examine the patterns of culture and identity inscribed in travel discourse;
• Develop critical thinking;
• Produce literary texts that involve the previously stated notions.
Method of presentation:
Lectures, discussions, student presentations, and a hands-on workshop format, as well as some field studies.
LANGUAGE OF PRESENTATION: English
Required work and form of assessment:
Assignments and Grading
1. Travel Portfolio made up of in-class and out-of-class brief analytical and creative exercises: 20%.
Each student will have his or her own portfolio by the end of the course, made up of brief writing prompts. All written assignments must be typed, double-spaced in 12 point font. This portfolio will be
handed in on the last day of class.
2. Travel essay #1: 15%. focuses on your hometown. It should be approx. 5 pages long and intended as an article for a magazine.
3. Travel essay #2: 25%. focuses on your travel experience in Europe/Spain/Barcelona. Should be
roughly 15-20 pages long and its form will be defined throughout the course (through a combination of students’ ideas, and other students’ and teacher’s feedback).
4. Participation 20%: insights about readings, responsiveness to classmates’ contributions, comments
during workshop classes.
5. Midterm exam 20%.
content:
Session 1: Introduction and course presentation. How do we define travel, travel writing, Europe and Spain?
Session 2: The traveler and the tourist: an unsolvable dichotomy? Travel then, travel
now.
Required Reading:
Fussell, Paul. (1980) Abroad. British Literary Travel Between the
Wars. 37-64. Oxford: Oxford UP.
Auge, Marc. (1995). Non-Places. Introduction to the Anthropology of
Supermodernity. 1-6. London: Verso.
Session 3: Field study: visit to
Alta?r travel bookstore.
Session 4: Contemporary travel writers: the canon. The gentleman and the adventurer.
Inward travel and armchair travel.
Required Reading:
Chatwin, Bruce. (1988) In Patagonia. 1-13. New York, Penguin. Bryson, Bill. (1991). Neither Here Nor There. Travels in Europe. 38-44. London: Black Swan.
Session 5: Types of articles. Anatomy of an article.
Session 6: Travel and culture. Postcolonial travel theory.
Required Reading:
Kingcaid, J. (2001). A Small Place. New York: Farrar, Straus and
Giroux. 1-19.
Session 7: Workshop for first assignment.
Session 8: Europe for Americans before the 20th century. The Grand Tour. First written assignment
due: travel article for a magazine.
Required Reading:
James, Henry. (1993). Collected Travel Writings. 336-346. New York: Library of America.
Session 9: Travel memoir and travel essay.
Session 10: The invention of Romantic Spain: 19th century
European and American travellers to Spain.
Required Reading:
Merimee, Prosper. Carmen. Oxford University Press, pp. 3-20.
Irving, Washington. (1991). “The Journey” in Bracebridge Hall. Tales of a Traveller. The Alhambra. 725-750. New York: Library of America.
Session 11: Hemingway and Spain I: non-fiction.
Required Reading:
Hemingway, Ernest. (1994). Death in the Afternoon. 1-22. London: Arrow.
Session 12: Hemingway and Spain II: fiction.
Required Reading:
Hemingway, Ernest. (1986). The Sun Also Rises. New York: Scribner.
Session 13: Hemingway andSpain II: fiction.
Required Reading:
Hemingway, Ernest. (1986). The Sun Also Rises. New York: Scribner.
Session 14: Midterm exam.
Session 15 : Travel and globalization.
Required Reading:
Iyer, Pico. (2001) “Why We Travel” in Theroux, Paul (ed.) The Best American Travel Writing. 142-151. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Session 16: Showing and telling. Scene writing.
Session 17: Travel in Spain under Franco.
Required Reading:
Wright, Richard. (1995). Pagan Spain. 177-223. University Press of Mississippi.
Session 18: Present-day travel writing to Europe.
Required Reading:
Kingcaid, Jamaica (ed.) The Best American Travel Writing 2005. 92-101;179-186. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Session 21: Food writing and travel. Portfolios due.
Required Reading:
Trillin, Calvin. 2003. Feeding A Yen. Savoring Local Specialties, from Kansas City to Cuzco. 17-30. New York: Random House.
Session 22: workshop for final assignment
Session 23: Presentations
Session 24: Presentations. Final assignment due.
Required readings:
Auge, Marc. (1995). Non-Places. Introduction to the Anthropology of Supermodernity. 1-6. London: Verso.
Bryson, Bill. (1991). Neither Here Nor There. Travels in Europe. 38-44. London: Black Swan.
Chatwin, Bruce. (1988) In Patagonia. 1-13. New York, Penguin.
Fussell, Paul. (1980) Abroad. British Literary Travel Between the Wars. 37-64. Oxford: Oxford UP.
Hemingway, Ernest. (1994). Death in the Afternoon. 1-22. London: Arrow.
---. (1986). The Sun Also Rises. New York: Scribner.
Irving, Washington. (1991). “The Journey” in Bracebridge Hall. Tales of a Traveller. The Alhambra. 725-
750. New York: Library of America.
Iyer, Pico. (2001) “Why We Travel” in Theroux, Paul (ed.) The Best American Travel Writing. 142-151.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Kapuscinski, Ryszard. (2008). “My Other”. 51-62. The Other. London. Verso.
Kingcaid, J. (2001). A Small Place. 1-19. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Merimee, Prosper. Carmen. 3-20. Oxford University Press.
Trillin, Calvin. 2003. Feeding A Yen. Savoring Local Specialties, from Kansas City to Cuzco. 17-30. New York: Random House.
Wright, Richard. (1995). Pagan Spain. 177-223. University Press of Mississippi.
This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of contemporary travel writing (19th and 20th century). After defining the reaches and limits of the travel genre and examining issues in canonical contemporary travel texts, we focus on travel writing in Spain and Europe through texts by European and American authors. Special attention is paid to the ways in which travel writing negotiates notions of identity and otherness, the self and difference. Because we are aiming at a truly intercultural focus, texts in both English and Spanish are read (readings in Spanish are optional for those students able to read in Spanish). Students also produce their own travel writing in a workshop-style format.
Attendance is mandatory for all IES classes, including field studies. Any exams, tests, presentations, or other work missed due to student absences can only be rescheduled in cases of documented medical or family emergencies. If a student misses more than three classes in any course half a letter grade will be deducted from the final grade for every additional absence. Seven absences in any course will result in a failing grade.
By the end of the course, students are able to:
• Explain the ways in which a travel writer’s works are linked to cultural identity;
• Identify how travel and travel writing are determined not only by novelty, but also by awareness of oneself;
• Recognize some conceptual tools required to study literary texts;
• Examine the patterns of culture and identity inscribed in travel discourse;
• Develop critical thinking;
• Produce literary texts that involve the previously stated notions.
Lectures, discussions, student presentations, and a hands-on workshop format, as well as some field studies.
LANGUAGE OF PRESENTATION: English
Assignments and Grading
1. Travel Portfolio made up of in-class and out-of-class brief analytical and creative exercises: 20%.
Each student will have his or her own portfolio by the end of the course, made up of brief writing prompts. All written assignments must be typed, double-spaced in 12 point font. This portfolio will be
handed in on the last day of class.
2. Travel essay #1: 15%. focuses on your hometown. It should be approx. 5 pages long and intended as an article for a magazine.
3. Travel essay #2: 25%. focuses on your travel experience in Europe/Spain/Barcelona. Should be
roughly 15-20 pages long and its form will be defined throughout the course (through a combination of students’ ideas, and other students’ and teacher’s feedback).
4. Participation 20%: insights about readings, responsiveness to classmates’ contributions, comments
during workshop classes.
5. Midterm exam 20%.
Session 1: Introduction and course presentation. How do we define travel, travel writing, Europe and Spain?
Session 2: The traveler and the tourist: an unsolvable dichotomy? Travel then, travel
now.
Required Reading:
Fussell, Paul. (1980) Abroad. British Literary Travel Between the
Wars. 37-64. Oxford: Oxford UP.
Auge, Marc. (1995). Non-Places. Introduction to the Anthropology of
Supermodernity. 1-6. London: Verso.
Session 3: Field study: visit to
Alta?r travel bookstore.
Session 4: Contemporary travel writers: the canon. The gentleman and the adventurer.
Inward travel and armchair travel.
Required Reading:
Chatwin, Bruce. (1988) In Patagonia. 1-13. New York, Penguin. Bryson, Bill. (1991). Neither Here Nor There. Travels in Europe. 38-44. London: Black Swan.
Session 5: Types of articles. Anatomy of an article.
Session 6: Travel and culture. Postcolonial travel theory.
Required Reading:
Kingcaid, J. (2001). A Small Place. New York: Farrar, Straus and
Giroux. 1-19.
Session 7: Workshop for first assignment.
Session 8: Europe for Americans before the 20th century. The Grand Tour. First written assignment
due: travel article for a magazine.
Required Reading:
James, Henry. (1993). Collected Travel Writings. 336-346. New York: Library of America.
Session 9: Travel memoir and travel essay.
Session 10: The invention of Romantic Spain: 19th century
European and American travellers to Spain.
Required Reading:
Merimee, Prosper. Carmen. Oxford University Press, pp. 3-20.
Irving, Washington. (1991). “The Journey” in Bracebridge Hall. Tales of a Traveller. The Alhambra. 725-750. New York: Library of America.
Session 11: Hemingway and Spain I: non-fiction.
Required Reading:
Hemingway, Ernest. (1994). Death in the Afternoon. 1-22. London: Arrow.
Session 12: Hemingway and Spain II: fiction.
Required Reading:
Hemingway, Ernest. (1986). The Sun Also Rises. New York: Scribner.
Session 13: Hemingway andSpain II: fiction.
Required Reading:
Hemingway, Ernest. (1986). The Sun Also Rises. New York: Scribner.
Session 14: Midterm exam.
Session 15 : Travel and globalization.
Required Reading:
Iyer, Pico. (2001) “Why We Travel” in Theroux, Paul (ed.) The Best American Travel Writing. 142-151. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Session 16: Showing and telling. Scene writing.
Session 17: Travel in Spain under Franco.
Required Reading:
Wright, Richard. (1995). Pagan Spain. 177-223. University Press of Mississippi.
Session 18: Present-day travel writing to Europe.
Required Reading:
Kingcaid, Jamaica (ed.) The Best American Travel Writing 2005. 92-101;179-186. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Session 19: workshop for final assignment.
Session 20: Preliminary theoretical conclusions
Required Reading:
Kapuscinski, Ryszard. (2008). “My Other”. 51-62. The Other. London. Verso.
Session 21: Food writing and travel. Portfolios due.
Required Reading:
Trillin, Calvin. 2003. Feeding A Yen. Savoring Local Specialties, from Kansas City to Cuzco. 17-30. New York: Random House.
Session 22: workshop for final assignment
Session 23: Presentations
Session 24: Presentations. Final assignment due.
Auge, Marc. (1995). Non-Places. Introduction to the Anthropology of Supermodernity. 1-6. London: Verso.
Bryson, Bill. (1991). Neither Here Nor There. Travels in Europe. 38-44. London: Black Swan.
Chatwin, Bruce. (1988) In Patagonia. 1-13. New York, Penguin.
Fussell, Paul. (1980) Abroad. British Literary Travel Between the Wars. 37-64. Oxford: Oxford UP.
Hemingway, Ernest. (1994). Death in the Afternoon. 1-22. London: Arrow.
---. (1986). The Sun Also Rises. New York: Scribner.
Irving, Washington. (1991). “The Journey” in Bracebridge Hall. Tales of a Traveller. The Alhambra. 725-
750. New York: Library of America.
Iyer, Pico. (2001) “Why We Travel” in Theroux, Paul (ed.) The Best American Travel Writing. 142-151.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Kapuscinski, Ryszard. (2008). “My Other”. 51-62. The Other. London. Verso.
Kingcaid, J. (2001). A Small Place. 1-19. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Merimee, Prosper. Carmen. 3-20. Oxford University Press.
Trillin, Calvin. 2003. Feeding A Yen. Savoring Local Specialties, from Kansas City to Cuzco. 17-30. New York: Random House.
Wright, Richard. (1995). Pagan Spain. 177-223. University Press of Mississippi.