Muslim Translations of Britain - ENG00150I

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Module summary

What did Britain look like to the Muslims who visited and lived in the country in increasing numbers from the late eighteenth century onwards? This module examines representations of Muslims in Britain – in English and in translation from Arabic, Persian, Urdu and other languages – from 1780 to the present day.

Elective Pre-Requisites

These pre-requisites only apply to students taking this module as an elective.

A in English literature A-level or equivalent qualification 

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 2 2026-27

Module aims

The aim of this module is to consider to what extent and in what ways Britain and Islam are represented in writing by Muslim-identified authors. The module seeks to challenge pervasive ideas about Muslims in the West as a homogenous group and as a post-Second World War ‘invasion’. It examines a variety of prose forms, from travel and life writing to novels and short stories. A final goal is for students to produce high-quality textual analysis of books originally written in a variety of non-European languages in order to think through issues relating to translation studies and language’s imbrication with politics.

Module learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, you should be able to:

1. Demonstrate an informed understanding of and engagement with how Muslim-identified authors from a range of countries have responded to experiences of migration, (neo-) colonialism, nationalism, education, and travel in Britain;

2. Demonstrate an informed understanding of and engagement with different literary forms and their affective power, as well as understanding the significance of form to Muslim-identified writers and (post)colonial politics;

3. Examine key debates and critical approaches, including those pertaining to travel writing, the history of Muslim migration to the UK, and more recent public understanding of multiculturalism and terror;

4. Develop arguments and ideas which demonstrate a proficiency in critical thinking, research, and writing skills.

5. Demonstrate an understanding of some of the key issues at stake in the act of translation and in the study of literature in translation.

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	70.0
Open Examination	30.0

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	70.0
Open Examination	30.0

Module feedback

• You will receive feedback on all assessed work within the University deadline, and will often receive it more quickly. The purpose of feedback is to inform your future work; it is provided in a pedagogical spirit, and the Department also offers you help in learning from your feedback. If you do not understand your feedback you can discuss it with your tutor or your supervisor, during their Consultation and Feedback Hours.  

• For more information about the feedback you will receive for your work, see the department's Guide to Assessment.

Indicative reading

Key Texts

1. Mirza Sheikh I’tesamuddin, The Wonders of Vilayet (1780)

2. Mirza Abu Taleb Khan’s Travels, Vol 2 (1814) (Persian)

3. Maimoona Sultan, A Trip to Europe (1914) (Urdu)

4. Sajjad Zaheer, A Night in London (1938) (Urdu)

5. Yahya Hakki, ‘The Lamp of Umm Hashim’. In The Lamp of Umm Hashim: And Other Stories (1944) (Arabic)

6. Tayeb Salih, Season of Migration to the North (1969/1966) (Arabic)

7. Haifa Zangana, Women on a Journey: Between Baghdad and London (2007/2000) (Arabic)

8. Leila Aboulela, The Translator (English)

9. Mohsin Hamid, Exit West (2017) (English).

10. Kamila Shamsie, Home Fire (2017) (English).

11. Fatima Bhutto, The Runaways (2019) (English).