ATS2443 - On the road: Travel and representation - 2017

Cultural practices of travel and the ways these are represented in travel writing and related modes of communication form one of the most compelling fields of contemporary critical inquiry. This unit is designed to place this contemporary engagement within an historical, theoretical and practical perspective. It examines travel practices, attitudes and ideologies in a range of texts, including the popular travel book and the tourist guidebook, fiction, film and journalism. Its scope ranges from ancient pilgrimages through imaginary voyages, utopian fantasies, New World traveller's tales and the imperial quest, to the diverse branches of tourism today, including sex tourism and cyber travel.

On successful completion of the unit students will have:

1. a critical sense of the development of the broad field of travel and representation, with knowledge of the diversity of modes and discourses it encompasses
2. knowledge of the relationship between travel and ideology, especially in specific historical, political and gendered contexts
3. an informed understanding of contemporary critical and theoretical approaches to travel
4. critical perspectives on the production and consumption of travel writing and film
5. a clear historical sense of the changing practices of travel and tourism.

Within semester assessment: 60% + Exam: 40%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Professor Robin Gerster

Communications and media studies

Literary studies

Twelve credit points of first-year Arts units.

ATS3443