Postcolonial Studies MA

Postcolonial Studies is an intellectually dynamic and politically urgent field. It takes the pulse of contemporary societies and cultures in the context of an increasingly interconnected yet complex world. Our postgraduate degree allows you to look critically at problematic histories whose legacies remain with us: the history of slavery, the history of apartheid and the ongoing histories of colonialism itself, which cut across different languages and cultures in different parts of the world. You will discover the richness and diversity of Anglophone postcolonial cultures, their social and historical contexts, and the theoretical but also practical issues they raise. An understanding of these issues will also allow you to gain an in-depth knowledge of how creative outputs like literature, film and music engage with race, place and identity across a variety of contexts. Examples include the stereotyping of Turks and Jews in the Renaissance, the global ‘migration crisis’ and the Black Lives Matter movement of present times. The scope and scale of our academic expertise will help you to examine postcolonial societies and cultures from a broad range of perspectives. This flexibility will give you many opportunities to pursue your personal interests, while an independent research project will enable you to explore a topic of your choice in even greater depth. Our postcolonial team specialises in postcolonial ecocriticism, disability studies and medical humanities, decolonial thought and anti-colonial struggle, diaspora and cosmopolitan community, states of refuge and asylum, postcolonial theory, psychoanalysis and trauma, Indigenous knowledges, postcolonial film, theatre and poetry, and postcolonial prize cultures and reception histories.

We ask for a 2:1 Honours degree, or non-UK equivalent, in English (English Literature, English Studies, English Language & Literature etc.) or a related subject e.g. History, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Cultural Studies. Applications from those with degrees in other subjects will be considered on an individual basis.