MA Arts and Culture: Contemporary Literature and Arts (CLA)

I should say though that an issue such as, for example, the climate crisis, is never just about the climate. It’s also about indigenous rights, racism, speciesism, class, et cetera. This insight, that different social justice issues intersect with one another, is important in our programme and we’ll explore it in relation to different examples of contemporary literature and art. In the second half of the CLA programme, I’ll be co-teaching the course Time to Act: Cultural Interventions and Artivism. This course looks at art and literary practices that deliberately seek to intervene in social justice issues. We’ll look at art activism, participatory art, emotional dynamics in social movements – and many other practices. Students will get to analyse different examples and work on a group project in collaboration with societal partners. The goal of this project is that students put their knowledge and research skills into practice and design their own cultural intervention – for instance by recording a podcast, hosting a creative workshop, or setting up a social media campaign. All of this is a great preparation for students’ future professional paths, and for public engagement more generally.”

When we asked her what the Contemporary Literature and Arts programme is all about, she replied: “well, the obvious answer is that it’s a programme on contemporary literature and art, which zooms in on the various ways in which art and literary practices address social justice issues. Personally, I believe that the CLA programme responds to a need in society. The present is sometimes referred to as a time of ‘multiple crises’ – including health, environment, inequality, and the list goes on. Effectively tackling these crises will require imagination and creativity, of which art and literature are great sources. But how precisely does this process work? Which kinds of imagination do art and literature trigger, and how? What are the pros and cons of imagining society in one way or the other? Who gets to imagine our past, present and future, using which creative means, and with what agenda? What’s the role of literature and art in building communities, establishing shared values, or influencing public opinion? Those are questions we’ll discuss in relation to a broad range of contemporary examples.”

During the programme, students will develop several professional skills. She explained: “students will learn how to research contemporary art, literary and cultural practice in a structured and critical manner. That skill is relevant not only for a career in academia, but also for art and literary criticism, and for careers that demand independent research and writing skills, such as journalism, campaigning, public relations and/or NGO work. Next to research and writing skills, students will learn how to collaborate in groups, how to communicate using a variety of online and offline means, how to form and defend a reasoned opinion, how to speak in public and how to facilitate group meetings and workshops. All of these skills are relevant for a range of professional careers, but they also come in handy in other social settings, such as politics or community work. In a society that is rapidly changing, students can draw on these various skills in order to adapt to changing circumstances, and to carve out a relevant professional niche.”

We also asked her for which students the CLA programme would be suitable. She told us: “It’s for students who like to read, watch and listen to a broad variety of literature and art. It’s for students who have a strong interest in the social relevance of literature and art. It’s for students who like to engage in critical debates, for students who like to be creative, and for students who like to translate knowledge into practice. Applicants should bring some prior knowledge of art, literature and/or cultural practice, and know basic methods for researching these fields (such as content, narrative and visual analysis).”

She told us that the programme also looked at current events in society:

“In the course that I’ll co-teach, we will, for example, discuss the ‘art activism’ and ‘emotion work’ of the social movement Extinction Rebellion. We’ll also look at performance and facilitation practices in the context of anti-racist organizing, and we’ll examine manifestos for ‘radical care’ that have emerged in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

When we asked her what the career perspectives are with the CLA programme, she said:

“In particular, I see our students working in the social and creative sectors, organizing and campaigning (including NGO work), as well as public relations, journalism and critique. As I’ve mentioned earlier, I think that society will rapidly (and potentially quite radically) change in response to current social and environmental challenges. In the face of this uncertainty, it’s important that students can draw on a diverse and flexible skillset, which will allow them to adapt, to knowingly position themselves vis-à-vis new socio-cultural trends, and to cultivate an expertise for which there is demand. In the CLA programme, students will learn how to read literature and art as indicators of societal transformation. This skill will be helpful in the process of carving out a sought-after professional niche.”

She also explained what makes the CLA programme so unique: “Art, literary and cultural studies have always dealt with social justice issues. What makes our programme special is that it focuses on what contemporary literature and art does and can do with regard to pressing social justice issues. Its focus is on how literature and art make a difference in the here and now, and what it can do for the future. In that sense, I’d say that we take literature and art quite seriously, but – of course – we’ll also have a lot of fun in exploring and discussing different examples, and in experimenting with creative practice.”

To students who are still not sure which MA they are going to pursue, she wanted to say: “It’s a good thing that students consider their choices carefully. And yet, I’d also recommend that students follow a certain ‘gut feeling’ when it comes to making their final decisions. If students want to get a better impression of our programme, then I’d recommend visiting us during one of our open days and listening to some podcasts that deal with cultural practice and social justice.  The latter is not the same as studying these topics from academic perspective (we’ll do that in our programme), but it’ll give students a feeling for the topic. I regularly listen to Upstream (with Della Duncan and Ramin Raymond) and Accidental Gods (with Manda Scott), for example.”

April 2022