What you will study
This course is divided into the following five units:
In Unit 1, you’ll reflect on what crime fiction is, why it is such a rich literary genre. You’ll discover its development in Europe since 1945 and consider how knowing the history of the continent can inform our reading of crime fiction; and how, conversely, crime fiction can give us insights into history.
Unit 2 explores crime fiction writing in the post-1945 period in France and Britain. You’ll consider a historical overview of the development of the polar, the French crime novel and reflect on some of the techniques used by a number of important authors.
In Unit 3 you’ll explore crime fiction writing in the post-1945 period in Sweden, Italy and Germany. These three nations offer interesting contrasts in their relation to the genre.
In Unit 4, you’ll reflect on the issues involved in adapting crime fiction novels to other media, such as film, television, radio and theatre, as well as considering the linguistic and cultural challenges of translation between languages and cultures.
Finally, in Unit 5, you’ll consolidate your learning from the first four units, drawing conclusions and applying the knowledge and skills you have acquired. This will be done through a series of activities that use the knowledge and skills you’ve acquired to take on a number of productive roles – detective, author, adaptor, translator and critic.
You will learn
After completing the course, you will be able to:
- consider different ways of looking at crime fiction texts
- review your understanding of the development of European crime fiction in the post-1945 period
- analyse in detail the writing of a number of French, British, Swedish, Italian and German authors
- investigate the challenges of transferring crime fiction stories to other media, such as television and film
- reflect on the issues raised by the translation of crime fiction into other languages
- put yourself in the role of the crime fiction author, adaptor, translator and critic.
Learner support
The course is taught entirely online, with the aid of a learning adviser to offer support where needed. You will have access to online forums that you are strongly encouraged to participate in, as they are an excellent source of support and information. These forums combine peer support with input from the specialist learning adviser(s). Other support is available via the StudentHome website and computing helpdesk.
If you have a disability
The course is delivered online and makes use of a variety of online resources. If you use specialist hardware or software to assist you in using a computer or the internet you are advised to contact us about support which can be given to meet your needs.
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying LG008 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.