VVZ API is not affiliated with ETH Zurich. Data might be outdated or incorrect. Please view the official ETHZ Vorlesungsverzeichnis for binding information.
New Zealand Through Literature and Film (C1-C2)
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:40:40
Abstract
This course is designed for non-native English speakers at Bachelor and Master level from all disciplines who wish to gain an insight into New Zealand culture, history, and society through its rich tradition in film and literature, while improving their English language skills further towards C2.
Objective
In this course, students are introduced to New Zealand through its rich tradition of literature and film. The course addresses issues that have arisen in this former colony from its earliest settlement to the present day. Key questions include: What did New Zealand mean to its early settlers? Where did they come from? What is the Treaty of Waitangi, and what is its status today? How culturally diverse is New Zealand, and what is bi-culturalism in New Zealand? How did early European settlers view New Zealand, and what does it mean to be a New Zealander today? Students will analyze and discuss poetry, prose, and film. They will become aware of various ways of "reading" texts and film, and will improve their skills in planning and writing cohesive essays in which they marshal their arguments in a convincing and formal manner. Overall, the aims are that students become more discerning readers, improve their skills in expressing their views in written and spoken form clearly and concisely, and gain an understanding of the importance of literature and film to the development of New Zealand’s unique present-day identity.
Content
The course gives a roughly chronological view - through literature and film - of New Zealand's history, culture, and society from pre-European settlement to the present day. Materials discussed include selected poems, short stories, articles, and films. A key focus is the way New Zealanders' notion of their own identity has shifted over the years, as expressed by the country's film-makers and writers working in English, and to a limited degree, in Maori (English translations are provided).
Resources
Lecture Notes
Handouts and DVDs
Literature
Materials are available on Moodle and at the Language Center's Self-Access Center (more information is given in the first lesson)
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- DS
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture with exercise |
New Zealand Through Literature and Film (C1-C2)
**Kurs vom Sprachenzentrum der UZH und der ETH Zürich**
Mehr Infos unter:
|
|
2 h weekly |
Offered In
-
GESS Science in Perspective (Only the courses listed below will be recognized as "GESS Science in Perspective" courses. Further below you will find courses under the category "Type B courses Reflections about subject specific methods and content" as well as the language courses. During the Bachelor’s degree Students should acquire at least 6 ECTS and during the Master’s degree 2 ECTS. Students who already took a course within their main study program are NOT allowed to take the course again.)
-
Language Courses of the UZH and ETH Zurich (Please be advised that your online-registration at the language centre of UZH and ETH Zurich has to be simultaneous ( ) as otherwise your registration for the course will not be valid. There is a course fee of CHF 80.-. Except for: Greek Basic Courses, Heureka and Reading Course Latein. A maximum of three credits from language courses may be recognised. In addition, only advanced courses (level B2 upwards) in the European languages English, French, Italian and Spanish are recognised. German language courses are recognised from level C2 upwards.)
-