Comparative Literature (CMLIT)

CMLIT 1 provides a survey of Western literary tradition and considers a variety of genres -- such as epic, drama, sonnet, essay, saga, chronicle, folktale, and novel -- with attention to the literary and historical contexts which these works reflect in the Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance (Early Modern) periods. Universal themes and cultural values, along with individual differences, will be discussed and compared in works from such authors as Homer, Dante, Chaucer, Cervantes, and Marguerite de Navarre. Comparative study focuses on the understanding and appreciation not only of the individual works, but also of their influence on other literary works and artistic forms and the ways in which they relate to their cultures. You will articulate and compare interpretations of texts spanning 2500 years of Western literary history. The variety of the Western tradition will lead you to an understanding and critical discussion of the process by which certain works become regarded as "great." This course will also allow you the pleasure of encountering a wide variety of creative literary expressions from three distinct periods. Along with CMLIT 2, this course forms a 6-credit overall Western literature series -- but either half may be taken separately. CMLIT 1 may be selected to fulfill one of the course requirements for the CMLIT major or the World Literature Minor. This course also fulfills the General Education Humanities requirement, the Bachelor of Arts Humanities requirement, and International Cultures requirement.

Comparative analysis of drama, essay, novel, poetry, and stories from traditional oral forms to contemporary expressions of African literary styles. CMLIT 3 Introduction to African Literatures (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. CMLIT 3, Introduction to African Literatures, provides an introduction to the wonderful variety of African literary production, from early oral epic traditions, through the colonial/post-colonial period, to recent Nobel Prize winning authors. We will read texts written in English or translated into English from French or African languages, including several recorded from the oral tradition, as well as some texts from the African Diaspora. These literatures come from different geographic and cultural areas of Africa, and are composed in a variety of forms (novel, drama, epic, poetry), and range in date from 2,000 BCE to the colonial period to the modern national era. The focus of the course, however, is on the 20th century. We will also consider the ways in which history, culture and geography impact literary production. African literary and cultural influences on Western traditions may also be explored. Students will be evaluated on some or all of the following: short answer/essay exams, in -class discussion and group work, written assignments, collaborative presentations, and a final comprehensive exam/essay. Writing and speaking will always be included. This course fulfills a requirement for the Comparative Literature major and the World Literature minor. This course also fulfills the General Education Humanities requirement and the Bachelor of Arts Humanities and Other Cultures requirement. It also satisfies the United States and International Competence requirement.

Satisfies General Education (GH), International Cultures (IL), Other Cultures (BA) requirements. This course is designed to act as a gateway to Asian literatures and cultures - through English translation - of selected fictional and cinematic texts from Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Asian diaspora literature (our main focus is on literature of modern Asia). Exploring the historical and cultural contexts of each work, we will pay attention to the ways in which each text depicts the diversities within geographical areas (for instance, "Japanese culture" is not monolithic than "U.S. Culture" is, and writers might see the same social reality in quite differently). The cross/inter-cultural approach used in this course invites students to acquire a global perspective on the rich traditions of Asian cultures and literatures. Students are expected to develop the ability to comparatively analyze and express, in speech and writing, their views through the reading of literary texts and watching of films.

Comparative interpretation of the oral and written literary traditions of North, Central, and South America. CMLIT 5 Introduction to Literatures of the Americas (3) (GH;US;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. CMLIT 5, Introduction to Literatures of the Americas, allows you to explore the great variety of literatures of the Americas, including translations of texts written in Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Amerindian languages, as well as texts originally written in English. Readings include many genres and artistic forms dealing with histories and accounts of "American" issues, such as conquest, nationalism, slavery, diaspora, and immigration. You will also consider the various influences among these traditions in terms of time period and genre. This course investigates the literary and cultural notion of "America," and what it means to be "American," in terms of the entire hemisphere. We will deal with issues of race, ethnicity, class, religion, as well as other vital concerns of identity and "Americanness" as reflected in both oral and written literary traditions through the history of the Americas. At the conclusion of this course, you should be able to understand and make - comparisons among the many "American" literary traditions. This course fulfills requirements for the Comparative Literature major, the World Literature minor, General Education Humanities, Bachelor of Arts Humanities, and General Education United States and International Competency.

This course serves as an introduction to philosophy through the critical and analytic reading of popular, classic, and insightful literature - novels, plays, poetry, and creative non-fiction - from both Western and Non-western authors and cultures. We ask questions about the experience, purpose, and value of reading these works: Why do we sympathize with fictional characters? What do "coming of age" books contribute to our own maturity? Does literature give us insight into other people, and even into ourselves, unavailable in any other way? What is happening when someone says that a work belongs to the "canon"? What does a literary artist need to know to create the works of great insight she or he creates?

This course provides an introduction to the diverse literatures of the region known as the Middle East. Through a study of translations of works from Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Hebrew and other languages as well as Anglophone Middle Eastern literatures, students will study Middle Eastern literatures and cultures in their diversity. Approaching works from the modern period in the context of shared histories of modernization, secularization, postcolonial nation-building, and globalization, this course will emphasize important thematic continuities across modern literatures of the region. Though the focus will be on the modern period, students will also be introduced to the rich literary networks of the so-called premodern era, exploring past literary connections and their legacies for the present. The relationship between literature, film, and other media may also be explored. Topics to be discussed may include Orientalism, Middle Eastern refugee and migration literatures, cross-cultural encounters, women¿s and minority writings, prison and protest literatures, petrofiction and climate fiction. This course fulfills the General Education Humanities requirement, the International Cultures requirement, and the Bachelor of Arts Humanities and Other Cultures requirement.

The development of literature around the world - from epic, legend, lyric, etc. in the oral tradition to modern written forms. CMLIT 10 The Forms of World Literature: A Global Perspective (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. As a one-semester introduction to the range and diversity of world literature from the ancient past to the present, CMLIT 10 is intended to help you read (or listen to) a work of literature from any time or place and to appreciate it more fully - whether it belongs to the more familiar types of literature you may have read in the Western tradition or is a fable, folktale, hero story, play, or narrative from another cultural tradition. You will practice expressing your ideas through written exams and in-class and on-line discussions/activities. Discussion sessions allow interaction with the instructor and with other students in the class.This course presents a global sampling of masterpieces of world literature. Students will become familiar with various literary genres and become proficient in the analysis of the similarities and differences between texts from many different time periods and cultures. CMLIT 10 is one of the choices of survey courses which can count toward the Comparative Literature major and the World Literature minor. This course also fulfills the General Education humanities requirement, the Bachelor of Arts humanities requirement, and the United States and International requirement.

The development of literature around the world--from epic, legend, lyric, etc. in the oral tradition to modern written forms. CMLIT 10U The Forms of World Literature: A Global Perspective (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. As a one-semester introduction to the range and diversity of world literature from the ancient past to the present, CMLIT 10U is intended to help you read (or listen to) a work of literature from any time or place and to appreciate it more fully--whether it belongs to the more familiar types of literature you may have read in the Western tradition or is a fable, folktale, hero story, play, or narrative from another cultural tradition. You will practice expressing your ideas through written exams and in-class and on-line discussions/activities. Discussion sessions allow interaction with the instructor and with other students in the class. This course presents a global sampling of masterpieces of world literature. Students will become familiar with various literary genres and become proficient in the analysis of the similarities and differences between texts from many different time periods and cultures. CMLIT 10U is one of the choices of survey courses which can count toward the Comparative Literature major and the World Literature minor. This course also fulfills the General Education humanities requirement, the Bachelor of Arts humanities requirement, and the United States and International requirement.

The figure of the hero/heroine examined in world literature as a vehicle for expressing social and cultural values. CMLIT 11 The Hero in World Literature (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. This course will examine the concept of heroism and of heroes throughout the world in different time periods and different literary genres. We will examine different types of heroes and theories of heroism, as well as gender relations involved in concepts of heroes/heroines, and the roles of anti-heroes, villainous heroes, and the enemies of heroes. Heroes represent the most ideal values of a particular society. By examining heroes revered by a variety of societies, a greater awareness of values both specific to individual cultures and universal across cultures can be reached. Through comparisons of a variety of heroes, literary and social roles in the formulation and manipulation of heroic types can be assessed. The objectives of this course include expanding students' awareness of the values of different cultures, examining the consequences of value systems as explored in literature, and increasing their skills of critical analysis on a body of literature designed to encourage the student to accept, reject, or question specific ideas of good and evil, proper behavior, and appropriate action within cultural contexts. CMLIT 11 is one of the many choices of survey courses which count towards the Comparative Literature major and the World Literature minor. This course also fulfills the General Education Humanities requirement, the Bachelor of Arts Humanities requirement, or the United States and International requirement.

The power, ethics, and excitement of drama and related forms of performance literature, presented in a global and comparative context. CMLIT 12 Introduction to World Drama and Performance (3) (GH;IL) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. Introduction to World Drama will enable students to discover the power and excitement of drama in a global context. Students will encounter a variety of cultural contexts as they observe how playwrights portray local histories and lifestyles, in settings from many parts of the world. The course will offer (1) an introductory overview of concepts and terms associated with understanding drama. It will present (2) traditional dramatic forms such as tragedy, comedy, history play, allegory, Noh, etc., as seen in plays prior to the twentieth century; and (3) recent dramatic forms such as testimonial, other politically engaged plays, drama online or on film, etc., as seen in plays from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Attention will be given to (4) the dramatic contributions of multiple cultural groups in the U.S., with African American, Asian American, Latino, and other U.S. plays seen not in isolation, but in relation to world drama. Finally, (5) the course will consider ways in which drama, as a form of world literature, can have an international and intercultural impact, both in earlier periods and recently, when global circulation and international collaboration are increasingly frequent.

Virtual worlds from anicent to postmodern, in a comparative and global context that includes literature, film, and online multiplayer games. CMLIT 13 Virtual Worlds: Antiquity to the Present (3) (GH;IL) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. What are virtual worlds? And why do they speak so intensely to us about the present? This course puts immensely popular online virtual worlds like World of Warcraft into a historical perspective. Beginning with Homer, students will work through some of the major imaginative worlds of literary history, including those of the Bible, Dante, Shakespeare, Goethe, Lu Xun, Basho, Balzac, and others. We will conclude by reading and discussing about the meaning and value of contemporary online virtual worlds. We will analyze the ways in which virtual worlds represent/reflect on the cultures from which they emerge; their ethical stances and structures; and the alternative imageries they embody.

"Being in the Universe" considers three fundamental questions of human existence from both humanistic and scientific perspectives: (1) What is the nature of our universe, and to what extent are creatures like ourselves a predictable consequence of it? (2) What is the nature of time, and what does it mean to be a conscious being living our lives through time? (3) What would it mean for humans to be alone in the Galaxy or the universe, or alternatively, not alone? "Being in the Universe" is an integrative GH+GN GenEd course. The course's three major units cover the following topics: (1) We discuss cosmology and religion as human enterprises, as well as the history of science; (2) We study the basic scientific theory of the Big Bang universe, and consider its implications for human life; (3) We address contemporary theories of the multiverse from scientific, philosophical, and literary perspectives; (4) We consider the thermodynamic and relativistic theories of time, and the basic philosophical approaches to time, and discuss the implications of these for our ordinary human experience of the past, present, and future; (5) We discuss the history of life in the universe, the possibility of life on other planets, and the social, religious, and imaginative reactions to those possibilities in literature and film.

International topics in literature and culture; each seminar will have a specific topic as announced (see the Comparative Literature Web site). CMLIT 83S First-Year Seminar in Comparative Literature (3) (GH;FYS;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. This course has two main purposes: to introduce first-year students to college study in the Liberal Arts, especially in literature as a humanities field of lifelong value, regardless of their majors; and to explore one of the most important trends of our time, which is the emphasis upon globalization and intercultural competence. In a small-class format that fosters individual engagement, the course includes practical guidance to help students optimize the opportunities available to them at Penn State, along with experiencing an international, intercultural approach to ways that literature addresses issues of crucial personal and social importance. With an entire world of literature to choose from, the theme of each seminar varies. Sample themes include "Hero-Tales: Boundaries between Fact and Fiction," "Literature, Health, and Wellness," "Cosmopolitan Cities, Real and Imagined," "Books that Change Lives," "America Seen from Elsewhere," "World Literature, Human Rights, and the Environment," "Myth, Legend, and Gender Identities," or "Forbidden Stories: Literature and Censorship." Course materials will cross boundaries of time, place, identities, languages, and cultures, and will often include media such as graphic narrative (comics) and film.

Formal courses given infrequently to explore, in depth, a comparatively narrow subject which may be topical or of special interest.

Courses offered in foreign countries by individual or group instruction.

CMLIT 100 Reading Across Cultures, is an introductory course to the discipline of Comparative Literature. The course is generally based upon a central theme (or series of themes) around which the reading assignments are chosen. Through a range of traditional (poems, short stories, drama, novellas, novels) and non-traditional (film, multimedia, hypermedia) texts from around the world, students will develop the ability to analyze literature in a variety of ways. Students will examine works both within their individual and diverse cultural contexts, and in relation to broader themes that transcend the boundaries of time and place. As an introductory course, CMLIT 100 is intended to lay a solid foundation for further study in any college-level courses on cultures and/or literature. Through an examination of a wide range of world literature, we will explore the practical aspects of what it means to deal with literary works in a comparative global context. The course is intended to help you develop your analytical and comparative skills and to simultaneously introduce you to a wide variety of interesting world literatures.

CMLIT 101 The Theme of Identity in World Literatures; Race, Gender, and Other Issues of Diversity (3) (GH;US;IL)(BA) This course examines issues of race, gender, religions, and ethnicity as expressed in literary, social, and cultural contexts. We will address these questions in works from a variety of traditions and time periods. Literary works from around the world show a wide range of response to the "other" -- idealization of difference as exotic, fear of difference as threat, the desire to suppress difference or force it into conformity, the recognition of difference within ourselves, etc. The scope includes authors who are themselves members of racial, sexual or ethnic groups with which you may be less familiar. You will also consider the question of who and what constitutes identity as perceived by oneself and by others.

Literary humor expressed as satire, comedy, and farce--from ancient times to the present--in an international and multicultural context. CMLIT 105 The Development of Literary Humor (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. CMLIT 105 is a broadly international course dealing with the nature of comedy and humor in literature. You will read samples from a broad spectrum of humor, including comedy, wit, satire, parody, irony, and farce. Through discussion and writing, you will also examine the techniques through which humor criticizes human nature, analyzes society, and expresses differing world views. The syllabus may be represented chronologically or divided into topics or literary forms that suggest various emphases, functions, and objects of literary humor. This course will provide opportunity to discuss both the widespread, or even universal, aspects of literary humor, and the diversity of literary humor across cultures and time periods. At the conclusion of this course, you should be able to understand and compare various literary forms and social, political, and cultural contexts that define humor and to assess the extent to which literary humor is or is not translatable across cultures or ethnic communities, or other groups. This course fulfills requirements for the Comparative Literature major, the World Literature minor, General Education Humanities, Bachelor of Arts Humanities, and General Education International/Intercultural Competency.

The growth and development of the legend of King Arthur, from medieval Europe to modern Japan. CMLIT 106 The Arthurian Legend (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. This course is designed to familiarize students with the legends about and surrounding King Arthur and the Round Table fellowship. Through a series of readings, students will survey the development of the legends of Arthur from their beginnings in early medieval Europe to their modern adaptations in many cultures around the world. The Arthurian legend is an ideal vehicle for showing the ways in which literary works capture and express changing value systems in different cultural and historical situations, and thus the course is a good example of comparative (international) approaches to literary study. Classes will discuss the changing cultural' ideals represented, the different characterizations of the central figures, and the literary, techniques employed. Lectures and discussions will be supplemented by overheads, slides, music, and films or film clips dealing with Arthurian themes. Throughout, the course will ask why and how the stories of Arthur and the Round Table fellowship have captured the imagination of artists, political and religious leaders, and readers throughout the ages and around the world. Finally, it will ask how the practical concerns of daily life are developed in this literature-for example, how does this highly imaginative literature address practical concerns such as striking a balance between one's short-term goals and personal gratifications, and one's long-range obligations to other people? Means of evaluation will be selected from the following (always including writing): essay exam questions, short answer and objective questions, reading journals, quizzes, in-class discussion, group projects (including web sites), research and critical papers, and final comprehensive written exam. CMLIT 106 is not required for the Comparative Literature major but may be selected to fulfill one of the course requirements for the major or the World Literature Minor. This course also fulfills the General Education Humanities requirement, the Bachelor of Arts Humanities requirement, and the IL requirement.

CMLIT 107 The Literature of Exploration, Travel, Migration, and Exile (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. CMLIT 107 compares the literatures of travel, migration, exploration, and exile from ancient times to the future, from narratives of journeys actually experienced through narratives of journeys imagined in the mind. The notion of the journey is broadly defined as encompassing both literal and metaphorical experiences, including travel journals and diaries, epic adventures, quests of introspection, dreams and visions, and depictions of the future. Through reading, discussion, and writing, you will examine and compare the different roles that travel can play in the imaginations of both the individual writers and the cultures from which they come. You will not only explore recurrent themes and timeless topics, but also the ways in which travel writing can both reinforce and subvert the basic value-systems, stereotypes, or other assumptions present in its cultural context. For many writers, traveling elsewhere is a means of evaluating their own societies, as well as a means of recording their responses to encountering real or imagined new places. The journeys of this course, which vary greatly from each other, will also allow you to consider some of the vast unknowns of the individual human mind and imagination. By traveling through this course, you will have the opportunity to develop the analytic reading, thinking, and writing skills necessary for the understanding of a variety of literatures and cultures, as well as the exploration of your own identity as an individual. This course fulfills requirements for the Comparative Literature major, the World Literature minor, General Education Humanities, Bachelor of Arts Humanities, and General Education International/Intercultural Competency.

World mythology: myths primarily of non-Western cultures, based on selected areas and traditions around the world. CMLIT 108 Myths and Mythologies (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course offers a survey of several different cultural traditions as expressed in myth, as well as discussion of myth in its literary, social, geographical, political, and religious contexts. Various theories of the evolution and analysis of myth will be examined. Mythological traditions from around the globe will be compared in order to determine qualities which they share and examine ways in which they are unique. This course will help you see the world in new and exciting ways, based on the wide variety of global myths. At the same time, you will consider the permanent human issues which connect all of these traditions to each other, to the modern world, and to you. CMLIT 108 is one of the choices of survey courses, which count toward the Comparative Literature major and the World Literature minor. This course also fulfills the General Education humanities requirement, the Bachelor of Arts humanities requirement, and the International Cultures requirement.

Myths, legends, and literatures of Native American cultures. CMLIT 109 Native American Myths, Legends, and Literatures (3) (GH;GI)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. CMLIT 109, Native American Myths, Legends, and Literatures, will allow you to read many traditional tales and selected works of modern literature representing a variety of American indigenous peoples. We will be examining the ways in which the myths, legends, and literary works reflect the cultural values and religious beliefs of the tribal nations from which they derive. You will learn how to read critically, analyzing symbols, archetypes, and motifs through the comparison of selected tales to others from the same and from different cultures, allowing you to recognize the rich diversity and unique oral traditions of Native American culture. You will also examine various geographical, historical, political, and social conditions which contribute to myth-making. Through the application of various theories of myth analysis, you will also synthesize the information learned about various Native American traditions with a view toward understanding the distinctive identities of Native American cultures, including where applicable their position as minority cultures, and also seeing their participation in universal human beliefs and concerns. CMLIT 109 can serve as a foundation for other courses dealing with the literatures of the Americas or for other courses dealing with minority literatures and cultures. CMLIT 109 is not required for the CMLIT major but may be selected to fulfill one of the course requirements for the major or form part of a student's choices for the World Literature minor.

Literature of the Jewish tradition in various cultures and contexts, such as Europe, Israel, Islamic countries, and the Americas. J ST 131 (CMLIT 110) Jewish Literature: An International Perspective (3) (GH;US;IL) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. CMLIT 110 (JST 131) will provide an introduction to the multiple worlds of Jewish experience and the different literatures they continue to inspire. Jewish literary creativity has varied widely with the personal and communal experience of writers in many parts of the world, and in many different time periods. Readings usually range from the first Jewish literary text, the Hebrew Bible, to twentieth- and twentieth-century works, including writings about the Holocaust. The course typically includes units such as Jewish writing and culture in Eastern Europe, in the Americas, in Spain during the Middle Ages, and in Israel and the Middle East today. The material may be organized chronologically, thematically, or by regions or languages. Texts that critique or apparently suppress Jewish identity, as well as texts with representations of Jews by writers of other heritages, may be included for comparative purposes. We will include writings by Jewish authors who have written in languages usually associated with Jewish tradition (such as Hebrew and Yiddish) and in other languages (such as Spanish, Arabic, German, English, etc.). Topics discussed in the literature may focus on questions of Jewish identity and continuity, the situation of Jews as a minority people, the immigrant and diasporic experience, representations of the Holocaust, and the establishment of Israeli culture as a mixture of several traditions. We will question generalizations about the meaning of "Jewish" by showing the wide range of characteristics associated with Jewish literary productions, and the great diversity of depictions of Jews and Jewish lifestyles, in different times and places. In addition to our primary focus on literary texts, we may include examples of other cultural productions (film, music, the visual arts, philosophy, etc.). CMLIT 110 (JST 131) counts towards the Comparative Literature major and the World Literature minor. No prior knowledge of Jewish tradition is required, and General Education students are welcome. This course also fulfills the General Education Humanities requirement, the Bachelor of Arts Humanities requirement, and the United States and International Cultures requirement.

CMLIT 111 Introduction to Literatures of India (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course examines readings and cultural texts from India and other parts of South Asia, including both classical and modern texts from a variety of traditions. Readings from languages other than English will be in translation. You will read, discuss, and write about these texts from the viewpoint of race, gender, culture, religion, philosophy, and ethnicity in a comparative, global, and historical perspective. While improving your understanding of difference and diverse cultures, this course incorporates lesser known and even marginalized works by Asian writers in this study of cultural and social identities and contexts. CMLIT 111 will also help you understand the influence of classical texts, as well as classical and modern culture, on recent literary productions of South Asia. You will gain an understanding of different national literatures and cultures, as well as knowledge of the historical, philosophical, and political contexts that produced them. Ideas such as "the other," gender, and Orientalism will also be included in discussions of the texts. CMLIT 111 is one of the many choices of survey courses which count towards the Comparative Literature major and the World Literature minor. This course also fulfills the General Education Humanities requirement, the Bachelor of Arts Humanities requirement, and International Cultures requirement.

Introduction to Global Drama, Theater, and Performance will enable students to discover the power and excitement of drama in a global context. Students will encounter a variety of cultural contexts as they observe how playwrights portray local histories and lifestyles, in settings from many parts of the world. The course will offer (1) an introductory overview of concepts and terms associated with understanding drama and the technical aspects of theater. It will present (2) traditional dramatic forms such as tragedy, comedy, history play, allegory, Noh, etc., as seen in plays prior to the twentieth century; and (3) the dramatic contributions of multiple cultural groups in the U.S., with African American, Asian American, Latino, and other U.S. plays seen not in isolation, but in relation to world drama. (4) the course will consider ways in which drama, as a form of world literature, can have an international and intercultural impact, both in earlier periods and recently, when global circulation and international collaboration are increasingly frequent. Finally, (5) this course will look at world drama and theater from a design and performance perspective. Class work may include lectures or presentations by the instructor, presentations by students, web based activities, and focused discussions.

Comparative study of diverse interpretations of stories from the Bible in Judaism and Christianity. CMLIT 113 / JST 113 / CAMS 113 / RLST 113 Myths and Legends of the Jews (3) (GH;IL) The impact of the Bible on Western Culture is immense. Beyond its religious importance, the motifs and images from its myths and stories permeate literature and art, providing a basic frame of reference that for much of history could be taken for granted. A degree of familiarity with these motifs so as to be truly fluent is no longer common, and so it requires special effort to discern allusions to biblical traditions. Moreover, these traditions are not static: religious communities continually re-interpret them and appropriate them in very different contexts. Many prominent traditions in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam do not appear explicitly anywhere in the Hebrew Bible, but are the product of imaginative and ingenious interpretation and re-tellings. Why, for example, is Noah an example of a righteous person in Christian tradition, but in rabbinic tradition is more often portrayed as a profane, earthly-minded man who was saved only because he was the least bad of an evil generation? Why is Moses commonly portrayed with horns in medieval art? Underlying such different traditions are centuries of debate and reflection on these texts as sacred scripture, and competing religious communities often authorized their distinctive beliefs and practices by reading them into scripture. The differences are often too subtle to discern apart from careful comparison. This course will explore the boundaries between Scripture and tradition by means of a close examination of the myths and stories in the Hebrew Bible and their subsequent interpretation and re-tellings in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Using methods from comparative mythology and folklore, as well as comparative midrash, our procedure will be to compare these traditions closely with the biblical text, asking: What are the main motifs in the mythology of Judaism? Does Judaism have a coherent mythology? How do their myths compare with the myths of their neighbors? Where did these myths come from? How do these traditions relate to the Bible? What was the function of these myths? Why are there competing myths? How is it possible that Judaism affirms belief in only one God, but has myths that include other divine beings? We will also compare with later interpretive traditions (Jewish, Christian, Islamic). Can we trace trajectories of interpretation? Can we discern particular interpretive methods in operation? We will seek to answer: what do these re-workings of the traditions tell us about the development and function of Scripture, and the social circumstances of the communities? Finally, we will seek to detect reflections of these interpretive traditions in literature and art from the medieval to the modern periods. The course is organized around major topics in the Jewish Scriptures: God, creation, heaven and hell, Torah, Sabbath, Abraham and other ancestors, Israel and holy land, exile, and Messiah. Throughout we will consider how sacred stories function to form ethical perspectives and values.

Historical and cultural survey of key texts of the Jewish Tradition, from The Bible to the present. CMLIT (J ST) 116 Jewish Great Books (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. This course will introduce students to the rich and diverse expanse of the Jewish tradition through a survey of that tradition's most important texts. Starting from the Bible, moving up through the contemporary world, and spanning the globe, the course will examine religious, cultural, folkloric, philosophical, national, and literary traditions, and attention will be paid to both breadth emphasizing the vast range and diversity of Jewish thought and writing and depth emphasizing the complexity and subtlety of particular texts in examining the material. Students will learn methods and practices of textual, cultural, and historical criticism as they engage in analysis of Jewish textual traditions, of the relationship between representation and history, and of the productive interchanges between representation, history, and identity.

Important literary works dealing with witchcraft, demonology, vampirism, ghosts, and related concepts, from biblical times to present. CMLIT 120 The Literature of the Occult (3) (GH;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. CMLIT 120 is the study of literatures of the occult. Through readings of creative and critical works, you will develop an enhanced awareness of the variations among cultures and historical periods in accepting, fostering, tolerating or sometimes suppressing-unorthodox traditions. Our range of readings from world literature will show that what is rejected or scorned in one cultural context may be tolerated or even honored in another. You will also explore the social, political, ethical and religious implications of "occult." The course will be designed to compare various manifestations of the occult in literatures from around the globe and throughout history. You will explore issues of difference, and will develop an awareness of the tendency to demonize the 'strange' and 'inaccessible.' Through various texts from around the world, you will develop the ability to analyze literature in different ways. Readings will be examined both within their cultural context, and in relation to widely found or perhaps universal themes of the occult which transcend the boundaries of time and place. CMLIT 120 is one of the many choices of survey courses which count towards the Comparative Literature major and the World Literature minor. This course also fulfills the General Education Humanities requirement, the Bachelor of Arts Humanities requirement, or the United States and International Cultures requirement.

A study of the relationships between science, literature, and film, from an international and interdisciplinary perspective. CMLIT 122 Global Science Fictions (3) (GH;US;IL) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. This course examines science fiction and the fictions of science from an international and interdisciplinary perspective. Course content includes a history of the idea of science, of its engagement with and by fictional, filmic, dramatic, and poetic narratives, within an explicitly comparative framework that includes material from Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Students will develop a theory of genre and its development over time; they will recognize regional, cultural, and historical differences and forms of change that affect the intellectual development of the arts and sciences.

This class studies how art, literature, film, and other media can help us to gain a perspective on one of the most horrific events in human history, the Holocaust: the genocidal murder of more than six million men, women, and children (mostly Jewish) under the Nazi regime during World War II. We will also examine the theoretical questions involved in any attempt to capture what appears to be beyond our comprehension, in terms of moral outrage and the sheer scale, inhumanity, and bureaucratic efficiency. To this end we will study literary works, such as Primo Levi's Survival in Auschwitz, films such as Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List, Roman Polanski's The Pianist, and Roberto Benigni's Life is Beautiful, as well as photographs, poems, artworks, installations, museum architecture, the design of monuments and other artifacts. We will also examine questions of memorialization (Holocaust museums and memorials), national guilt, survivor's guilt, stigmatization, and the ethics of historical representation.

The world of banned books, their history, and their politics, studied comparatively and internationally. CMLIT 130 Banned Books: International and Comparative Perspectives (3) (GH;IL)This course examines one of the most documented events in the history of book reception - the banning of books. Bannings provide a useful window onto the myriad functions of culture in social identity formation. In order to understand how and why offense is given and taken, students will learn to place texts in a specific context of their historical production and reception and also to extrapolate connections between disparate moments when taboos were named. Incorporating examples from a range of global systems of censorship, the course examines differences in the modes and effects of repression and the sometimes surprising connections between church and monarchy, fascism and democracy. This course raises the following questions:-How has censorship been justified? When, if ever, is censorship justifiable? What are the grounds on which censorship can be judged successful or incomplete? Who censors? Who is censored? What are local categories of censorship? Though books are banned for reasons of blasphemy, sedition, and obscenity in various guises in several cultures, are these global categories? How do writers write against a ban? How do they write within it? What are the roles of importation, technologies of circulation, and geography in the censorship of texts? How do border-crossings and forms of miscegenation offend? Is there a unifying aesthetics to books that offend? The course will help students understand value systems and historical contexts in which they were produced and in which they caused offense. It will also ask students to draw connections between seemingly unrelated moments of offense in order to assist students in developing both analytical and expressive abilities. The course is designed to be suitable for all students, whether or not they have previously studied literature or comparative literature.

Issues of ethics, truth, justice, and social order as embodied in crime and detective literature, presented in comparative contexts. CMLIT 131 Crime and Detection in World Literature (3) (GH;IL)This course studies the origins and development of crime and detective literature from an international and interdisciplinary perspective. Beginning with early Greek tragedies, the course traces literature's investment in issues of crime, violence, detection, forensics, and social justice through a variety of historical and cultural contexts; this may include the classical era, the early modern period, the Enlightenment, the industrial era, and the modern/contemporary world. Some of the questions addressed may include reigning myths about law and order; the rise of urban societies and mass culture; the construction of the detective figure, the witness, the criminal, and the victim as models of subjectivity; issues of gender and sexual violence; and the nature of justice. Students will learn about the history of the idea of crime and its relationship with literary form. They will develop ideas about the contribution of literary thinking to ideas of social justice, as well as a theory of genre and its development over time; they will recognize regional, cultural, and historical differences and forms of change that affect the intellectual development of literature and detection alike.

Introduction to Nobel Prize winning literature and the culture of the prize in international and historical context. CMLIT 132 Novel Prize Literature (3) (GH;IL) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements.This course will provide an introduction to Nobel prize-winning literature. Students will learn about the authors and their works in cultural and historical context. Readings will cover several genres (such as poetry, drama, short story, and novel) and will include authors from an array of linguistic and cultural traditions (such as African, Latin American, Middle Eastern, European, North American, and Asian). In addition to reading primary literature, students will enrich their understanding of literary history by exploring secondary material such as essays, short biographies, reviews of author's works, and the authors' Nobel Prize acceptance lectures. The course will begin by introducing Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prize, and by surveying the parameters guiding how the prize has been awarded since its inauguration in 1901. Further readings may be organized temporally or thematically, but will be structured so that students develop a global perspective, allowing them to understand the variety of cultural contexts that have inspired the creative works under study. By examining the primary literature in connection with developing trends in prize culture, students will investigate such topics as pacifism and optimism in international prize culture, narrative and rhetorical techniques, the formation and expression of identity, changing gender roles and social expectations, the development of global Englishes, the emerging notion of world literature, and the changing climates of censorship and freedom of expression. The course is designed to be suitable for all students generally interested in literature and the globalization of culture. Prior study of literature is not required and all materials will be available in English.

Across cultures and across history, people have used political satire to call out abuses of power, manipulation, deception, and absurdity. While there are examples of political satire everywhere, its growth is a form of political resistance and as a source of political behavior has been on the rise since the turn of the 21st century. Drawing on examples from Stephen Colbert to Bassem Youssef to Charlie Hebdo and studying a range of different types of satirical media this course examines the role that satire has played in shaping political discourse and advancing democracy. Possible topics include the use of satire to bring down Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic, the attacks on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, the political comedy of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, the street art of Banksy, and the use of political cartooning in Africa. Students will hone their analytical skills through critical response papers, cross-cultural assessment of satire, comparative analysis of satirical forms, group projects, assessment of the effects of satire on shaping political debates, and quizzes on readings from the social sciences and humanities. This class is a GenEd inter-domain course for GH/GS; and International Cultures (IL) course.

A comparative, international examination of the relationship between literature and non-literary art forms. CMLIT 140 Literature and the Other Arts: International and Comparative Perspectives (3) (GH;IL) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. All around the world, literature and other forms of creative expression are related in many fascinating ways. Writers and artists often find inspiration from each other, and some artists work across a wide spectrum of genres and embody several identities at once. In different times and places, how have writers and artists reacted to critical events or lifecycle experiences? What techniques have writers, artists, composers, and choreographers shared? In examining a broadly international range of materials, in this course we will consider (1) how artists and writers depict common themes such as nature, death, aging, love, and more; (2) ways in which art and literature relate to each other; and (3) how literature and other arts are influenced by, and in turn exert influences upon, their cultural and social contexts. Using a global perspective, we will examine relationships between literature and a variety of artistic forms, such as painting, photography, comics, film, theatre, opera, music, sculpture, and more. Students will practice enabling skills for reading across genres, media, and cultures, and for expanding their skills in analyzing and synthesizing information, their awareness of a wide variety of value systems and cultural traditions in different times and places, and their horizons of literature in global contexts.

Major religious themes as expressed in literary masterpieces; sacred texts from various cultures read as literature. CMLIT 141 Religion and Literature (3) (GH;US;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. CMLIT 141 is an introduction to literature, to religious writing, and to the many ways in which literature draws upon or interacts with religion. Among the many possible relationships between religion and literature are: straightforward dramatization of sacred texts; allegory; expression of mystical experience; exploration, dramatization, and individualization of theological issues; the creation of literature to promote or to meet the needs of piety; and utilization of religious imagery and symbolism as a poetic resource. Readings will include sacred texts, and also literature that draws upon or responds to sacred texts and religious traditions. It may also include avowedly secular literature that shows some relationship to religious tradition, and even literature questioning or critical of specific religious traditions or their adherents. Students will read works from a range of historical periods and world societies, both Western and non-western. CMLIT 141 is not required for the CMLIT major but may be selected to fulfill one of the course requirements for the major or for the World Literature Minor. This course also fulfills the General Education Humanities requirement, the Bachelor of Arts Humanities requirement, and the United States and International Cultures requirement.

A comparative, psychological approach to world literature from the perspectives of writer, narrative, character, and reader. CMLIT 142 The Psychology of World Literature (3) (GH;IL) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. This course explores various psychological approaches to the discussion of literature from the perspectives of writer, narrative, character and reader. Can authors, narrators, and fictitious characters be "psychoanalyzed"? To what extent do cultural variants affect a psychological approach to literature? Are there psychological universals that transcend time and culture? How does an awareness of psychology affect the reader? All of these issues will be discussed and compared with an eye to speculating the ways in which the human mind creates literature and literature impacts the human mind.

Human rights violations discussed in tandem with their literary representation, presented in a global and comparative context. CMLIT 143 Human Rights and World Literature (3) (GH;US;IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. "Human rights" refers to basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled, often held to include the right to life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law. But these ideas have not always been a part of human thought and some scholars believe that without certain forms of literature today's understanding of human rights would not exist. Through comparative analysis of a variety of human rights storytelling genres that reflect a range of contexts, this course will suggest that it is impossible to understand human rights without also thinking about the stories that create and sustain their idea. One main premise of this course is that the representation of human rights violations is always a vexed undertaking. It is both urgent and necessary, while also incomplete and inadequate. In order to explore this dilemma, this course focuses on the intersection between human rights advocacy and the various cultural forms that explicitly attempt to participate in human rights discourse. The course will cover a variety of cultural forms such as comic books, movies, photography, novels, testimonials, poetry, plays, etc. that reflect on human rights atrocities such as slavery, the Holocaust, war, dictatorships, apartheid, genocide, and more. At the center of the course are questions about aesthetics and ethics. What are the risks and obligations of human rights storytelling and how are these linked to specific cultural forms and aesthetic practices? This course examines a range of human rights stories through a balance of context and close reading, where stories are studied both for what they say and how they say it.

Why do we live in a world where so many people must flee their homes to survive? This course focuses on the rise in forced migration in response to violence, persecution, war, natural disasters, poverty, and environmental degradation from the late twentieth century onward. In the news media, the story of "the global refugee crisis" tends to be told through images of unprecedented disaster and spectacular havoc. To historicize displacement, students will consider the legacies that have led to violence and conflict, giving special consideration to European colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade. They will further learn about the impact of World War II, the Holocaust, and the Cold War on the emergence of the modern human rights architecture and on legal definitions that remain relevant to this day. To investigate this wide-ranging global topic, this course brings together frameworks and contributions from the social sciences and the humanities, inviting students to study the histories, experiences, and voices of those living in a world that moves. Students will engage with artistic representations of displacement through literature and film, in dialogue with migrant testimonies, archival material, international agreements, legal documents, and statistical data. This course adopts a comparative approach, inviting students to consider regimes of (im)mobility from a number of global contexts. Finally, to connect the international content of this course to the local environment, the class will also consider how forcible migration has reshaped communities in Pennsylvania. Given the large scope of the course topic, students can expect some variance in course content as reflective of faculty expertise and interest. Course activities might include interactions with guest speakers, representatives from organizations, interviews with various stakeholders, field trips, creative work, and participation in a public showcase. Students are encouraged to contact the listed instructor for more detailed information.

Comparison of narrative techniques employed by literature and film in portraying different cultures, topics may vary each semester. CMLIT 153 International Cultures Through Literature and Film (3) (GH;IL) (BA) This course will compare narrative and artistic techniques employed by literature and film in portraying different social and cultural environments, which will range widely around the globe and may include Africa and the Middle East, East Asia, and South America, as well as European and North American examples. Students will view films and read novels or other texts such as short stories, plays, and poems. The purpose of this course is to have students examine how the selected artists have developed their intentions and their subject matter in their respective medium, literature or film, and to allow students to study modes of narration across different cultures and media. Through a combination of lectures and comparative discussions, students will examine how components, including plot, genre, environment, character, and point of view are developed in films and fiction from diverse cultures. The course will also discuss techniques that are exclusive to each medium such as editing and cinematography. The comparative nature of the course allows students to understand, evaluate, and appreciate both the universal and unique qualities of the human condition. The study of narrative technique will help students develop analytical skills in discussing and writing about the literary and cinematic expression of cultural values.

In this honors course, we'll explore changing perspectives on life and approaches to studying life. More specifically, we'll examine, through an historical lens, humankind's quest to describe and explain and, ultimately, to expand the diversity of the living world. We begin with early attempts to classify living things for example, Aristotle and Pliny. We then see how medieval bestiaries appropriated classical ideas about nature while adding to them in the context of Christian historia. In the Enlightenment, Linnaeus's taxonomic work provided a new way of naming and systematizing organisms. On the other hand, the nascent scientific methods of Sir Francis Bacon anticipate the shift from the descriptive to the theoretical and mechanistic that accompanied Darwin's first sketch of a phylogenetic tree and the theory of evolution. We consider new theories, methods, and language in our examination of Watson and Crick and the double helix, molecular biology, and genomics. The course concludes with a glimpse at future possibilities enabled by what was studied previously in the course: genetic engineering, synthetic biology, and de-extinction. The course's original structure offers the experiential engagement of the sciences through laboratory experiments and fieldwork along with the workshop and directed discussions characteristic of the humanities seminar. The content and type of "readings" also reflect both areas and include primary and secondary sources in a variety of media. A visit to a natural history museum and/or zoo provides important physical contexts where students learn about type specimens, live specimens, and how scientists today use collections. They will assemble and curate their own zoological collection, juxtaposing various approaches to describing and classifying animals. The integration of the humanities and the sciences into a single course, along with the incorporation of significant experiential work, helps students gain a broad and deep understanding of and appreciation for each of these intellectual disciplines and for life itself.

This course is designed to introduce students to the art of the short story and to acquaint them with some of its most talented writers. During the semester we will read short stories from various cultures and countries, ranging from stories written in the early nineteenth-century to those written within the last few years. Readings will include works from authors like Hawthorne, Melville, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Gogol, Bierce, Chekhov, Kafka, Chopin, Crane, Gilman, James, Cather, Joyce, Woolf, Faulkner, Hemingway, Lawrence, Orwell, O'Connor, Baldwin, Olson, Silko, Erdrich, Ondaatje, Barth, Barthelme, Atwood, Mukherjee, Walker, Tan, Calvino, Garcia Marquez, and Cortazar. All readings will be in English. This course is intended to help one learn how to read fiction, how to understand it, and how to talk about it. The desire to tell stories and to be told stories is one of the most basic human needs, and all cultures have been defined in part by the stories they hear and the stories they tell. We are not born knowing how to read the short story or any fiction for that matter. Rather it is a skill that one acquires, and the more one does it, like playing tennis or any other activity, the better one becomes at it, for we learn what to look for. We will explore the historical development of the short story genre, and examine how historical contexts relate to the content and style of the stories under discussion. We will become familiar with how stories are put together and with the vocabulary that is used to discuss fiction--terms such as plot, narrative, character, tone, language, closure, irony, imagery. and so forth. CMLIT/ENGL 184 is not required for the CmLit major but may be selected to fulfill one of the course requirements for the major or the World Literature Minor. This course also fulfills the General Education Humanities requirement, the Bachelor of Arts Humanities requirement, and International Cultures requirement.

Development of the modern novel in the last century (outside the British Isles and the United States); lectures, discussions, readings in translation. CMLIT 185 / ENGL 185 The Modern Novel in World Literature (3) (GH) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. In this course, students will read examples of the modern novel from around the world. Focusing on novels written outside of America and England, this class will explore the development of the modern novel as a genre across a number of world cultures. As an example, moving from the beginnings of literary modernism (the late nineteenth century) through the early and mid twentieth century, the course will consider works by writers such as the following: Chinua Achebe, Italo Calvino, Albert Camus, Simone deBeauvior, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Isak Dinesen, Marguerite Duras, Natalia Ginzburg, Herman Hesse, James Joyce, Thomas Mann, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Kenzaburo Oe, and Marcel Proust. This course will address the ways in which the world novels under consideration constitute examples of various literary forms and styles. The class will examine the differences and distances between literary movements such as social realism and magical realism, modernism and postmodernism. The goals of this course will be to hone students' critical reading and writing skills while granting them the ability to think about the modern novel as a distinct genre in a comparative global context. This course will help students to develop the analytical skills necessary to analyze complex written texts..

This course is a comparative introduction to the nature and history of video games as cultural artifacts, from Pong to online role-playing. It introduces students to academic discussion on and creative work in new digital forms including hypertexts, video games, cell phone novels, machinima, and more. Students will survey major debates over the meaning and value of video games, and study some of the major theoretical terms and perspectives developed to elaborate the cultural and sociological value of video games. The course extends students' skills in literary interpretation to a variety of new objects, and makes them aware of the role medium plays in aesthetic development and production. Students will leave with a far sharper understanding of how the interpretive tools used in the humanities can be extended to include new media, and with a sense of the historical role video games have played and will continue to play in global cultural production. Because the course is historically focused, it will spend significant time looking at the differential development of video games in three major regions: the United States, Europe, and East Asia (especially Japan).

Formal courses given infrequently to explore, in depth, a comparatively narrow subject which may be topical or of special interest.

Formal course given on a topical or special interest subject offered infrequently;

Course offered on comparative literary topics as part of a foreign-study program.

This course surveys the institutions and social networks in which European fine arts were created, consumed and critiqued. Beginning with the medieval period and ranging to the early 20th century, the course will examine the variety of communities where public and private often intersected and which sponsored innovations in the arts. Often indexing social movements and political change, such communities include convents and cathedrals, royal academies and courts, coffee houses, salons, and theaters. Artists, performers, patrons, politicians, journalists, and others collaborated and competed in these spaces. Such communities could embody political and economic power, or foster resistance to it. This approach to the history of the arts in western culture puts the focus less on the individual creative genius of great composers, writers, painters, and sculptors, and more on the social exchanges and institutions that sponsored and received their work. Such an approach brings to light particularly the ways in which women played significant roles in the production and reception of culture: as salon hostesses, patronesses, and divas, women often enabled and enacted cultural production. Some examples of particular units of study might include: the German convent of Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), where monophonic chant and allegorical morality plays developed; the Mantuan (Italy) court of Isabella d'Este ,the first lady of the world, (1474-1539) where the roots of the madrigal began and where notable painters found support and sponsorship; the French salons of Mme. Geoffrin (1699-1777) and Mme. de Staël (1766-1817); and the student residences in Madrid where avant-garde writers and artists interacted. Each unit will also consider the relationships between the aesthetic norms and values of a period and the economic and political realities of sponsorship. The course will require that students attend at least one musical performance or concert held on campus during the semester and complete a brief writing project based on that experience. This requirement will encourage students to think about their own university as a contemporary space of cultural sponsorship.

Supervised off-campus, non-group instruction including field experiences, practica, or internships. Written and oral critique of activity required.

Creative projects, including research and design, which are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses.

Formal courses given infrequently to explore, in depth, a comparatively narrow subject which may be topical or of special interest.

Courses offered in foreign countries by individual or group instruction.

Individual projects involving research, reading, and writing; preparation of an honors thesis in comparative literature or world literature.

Special course offered on comparative literary topics as part of a foreign-study program.

Discussions of theories of literature, of literary criticism, and particularly of the distinct methods of comparative study; individual projects.

Literary and other forms of cultural expression (film, music, art, and theater) are compared across different Latina/o communities. LTNST (CMLIT) 403 Varieties of Latina/o Cultural Expression (3) (US)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. This course provides students with a multi-faceted comparative view of Latina/o literature in relation to other forms of cultural expression. First, the course presents a variety of cultural expressions to students in an effort to teach them the different ways that form affects content. Each text will be studied in its historical context as well, thereby providing students with a sense of Latina/o cultural history. Second, this course compares works from within the same genre, allowing students to recognize the ways that Latina/o culture has worked to build identity, to deconstruct identity, and to challenge cultural stereotypes. Such comparison further facilitates comparison of the ways that different cultural forms have been used by diverse Latina/o communities. Third, this course compares cultural forms, allowing students to see how Latina/o poetry affects music or how Latina/o theater affects novels Fourth, this course will include texts that represent a variety of linguistic and national contexts, including many countries in Latin America, thereby allowing students to see the relationship between history, culture, language, geography, and identity. These are all themes that are at the center of both Latina/o Studies and Comparative Literature. A comparative perspective facilitates appreciation of the vast and varied ways that Latina/o communities have used cultural expression. A particular point of contact between Latina/o Studies and Comparative Literature is the influence of hybridity. A central issue explored in this course concerns the intricate connections between multiple ways of expressing identity, in the arts, literature, music, etc., in diverse circumstances, such as locations where Latina/o cultures may be in the mainstream (such as in Latin America) and in the minority (in the U.S.). Drawing upon approaches offered by comparative literature and theories such as post-structuralism, feminism, and post-colonialism, we will examine the complex process through which Latina/o culture has been defined, disseminated, contested, and commercialized. Of particular interest from a comparative perspective are the ways that Latina/o cultures are created through hybridization, processes of mutual borrowing and differentiation, as well as through transnational processes of migration, urbanization, and cultural contact. The course's objective is to show not only how complex societies consolidate a shared culture but also how diverse Latina/o communities have produced a multiplicity of cultures that have been expressed via a broad range of cultural registers. These communities often span vast geographical areas, not only in the U.S. but across the Americas as people continue to look to their countries of origin for artistic inspiration.

Selected works from the major poetry, fiction, and drama of such countries as India, China, Japan. CMLIT 404 / ASIA 404 Topics in Asian Literature (3) (IL)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. This course focuses on Asian literature in a comparative and international frame. Different iterations of this course will have different topics as well as different historical or geographic foci, but may include literatures from the countries of East Asia (China, Japan, Korea), Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, Cambodia), or South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan). Because the course is comparative it will highlight relationships between and among literary traditions of Asia, or between Asia and the rest of the world, whether in the fields of poetry, drama, or fictional and non-fictional prose.

This course examines the development of literature in Canada, the United States, Spanish America, the Caribbean area, and Brazil.

Literature written by women, especially women from non-Western cultures; the spectrum of genres in which women writers have excelled.

Traditional heroes, their traits and adventures; typical themes and examples chosen from the epics and sagas of world literature.

Emphasizing literary translation, a study of the theoretical and practical problems encountered in the processes of translation, transmission, and interpretation. CMLIT 410 Literary Translation: Theory and Practice (3) (IL) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements.This course focuses on the history and practice of literary translation, ranging across space and time to provide a comparative, international perspective. It addresses such issues as the difficulties of literary language; theories of translation and translatability; theories of semantic equivalence; alternative modes of translation including sound- and graph-translation; and the history of important moments of translation in shaping the literary imagination. No second language is required, but students interested in learning how to translate literature may be given assignments allowing them to practice important skills connected to that task.

Critical analyses of form, genre, medium, and discourse of the graphic novel and its historical precedents in an international and comparative context. CMLIT 415 World Graphics Novels (3) (GH; US;IL) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements.This course considers the graphic novel (also known as graphic fiction, comics, or sequential narrative) as an emergent literary medium and global phenomenon. The course focuses on texts that engage issues of contemporary identity, ethnicity, sexuality, technology, and/or history (personal, family, and national). These graphic novels engage these issues through the medium of text joined with image. This course explores the aesthetic of sequential narrative, its methods of production and consumption, and its place in a contemporary culture of reading. Assigned texts include titles from the United States, France, Japan, Italy, Canada and Norway. All texts will be read in English translation.

Traditional and popular drama forms; modern anglophone and francophone drama; nationalism and social criticism in contemporary African drama.

From traditional oral narratives to modern autobiograhical, historical, satirical, sociological, and allegorical forms; novelist as social critic.

Exploration of seminal Korean texts, including poetry, fiction, autobiography, and criticism, from the early twentieth century to the contemporary era. This course provides a comprehensive overview of modern Korean literature within a transnational context. As we learn how to critically analyze seminal Korean texts, we will locate them in the social, political, economic, and cultural conditions under which they were produced and received. In grappling with some of the fundamental issues they raise;including colonialism, migration, national division, war, gender relations, developmentalism, urbanization, democratization, and contemporary consumer culture;we will also seek to situate these writings in the Korean vernacular within the larger context of global modernity. Rather than take Korean literature and global modernity as given or apart from each other, we will attend to their intersections by raising such questions as: How did modern experiences, constructed through the interface with unfamiliar Others, change preexisting ways of writing and reading? How did foreign occupations affect the formation of a national literature? In what ways do Korean writers' representations of the inter/national events and phenomena on and beyond the Korean peninsula at once enrich and complicate empirical investigations into modern histories of Korea, East Asia, and the world? In an increasingly borderless world, can we draw a boundary around what is called "Korean" literature? In parallel with these questions, we will further discuss why and how to engage in literary practices in the current age of digital reproduction. Instruction and all materials will be in English. No preliminary knowledge of Korean history or language is required for taking this course.

Exploration of Korean cinema from the early twentieth century to the present, with an emphasis on its global/local dynamics. This course offers an introductory overview of Korean cinema. As we trace its history from the colonial period to the current "Korean wave," we will also engage with film criticism, the trans/national contexts of film productions, the particular aesthetics of selected auteurs/genres, and local/global receptions of Korean cinema. Our discussion of formal elements and key issues featured in these films;modernity, colonialism, division, nation, class, gender, identity, tradition, ideology, desire, violence, and migration, among others;will be informed by readings of secondary sources and theoretical works, as well as literary materials produced during the same period. Throughout our analyses, we will seek to contextualize the cinematic texts within moments of major shifts not only in modern Korean history, but also in the transnational film industry and screen culture. In pursuing a broad and detailed perspective of Korean cinema, this course will ultimately enrich, and simultaneously complicate, our understanding of Korea, cinema, and the world. Instruction and all materials will be in English. No preliminary knowledge of Korean history or language is required for taking this course.

New media literary genres; critical discussion of creative works in digital media.

Cultural and literary effects of the process of globalization, with an emphasis on world literatures and transnationalism. CMLIT 435 Cultures of Globalization (3 per semester/maximum of 6) (IL)This course focuses on the cultural and literary effects of the process of globalization, with an emphasis on world literatures and transnationalism. It invites students to think about the ways in which the globalization of culture, politics, and/or the economy affects literary production, and the ways in which such literary features as genre, form, medium, style, and theme in turn reflect and attempt to shape our understanding of the global and its becoming. The course will have a significant focus on primary material (literature, film, other media) and secondary material (philosophy, journalism, criticism, and so on). It will introduce students to the main theoretical concepts that govern thinking about globalization and global culture, as well as to important literary and cultural texts that articulate those values. It will prepare them for further research in comparative literary studies and in the critical history of globalization.

A comparative, international study of fantastic worlds in literature and visual culture. CMLIT 438 Fantastic Worlds: International and Comparative Perspectives (3) (IL)This course will explore a wide range of "fantastic" narrative voices, crossing the boundaries of genres, periods, and nations, through literary and visual texts from the 19th century to contemporary eras, and from Asia to Americas. Students will examine various types of literary techniques and concepts, such as magic realism, grotesque realism, the absurdity, the fantastic, etc., and learn how texts best capture/grasp thenature of "realities" in their creation of "fantastic" worlds. Students will develop more profound understanding of literatures through global lenses, develop and refine critical thinking, in speech and writing, and comparative methods of literary analysis, and develop communications skills in essays, response papers, class discussions, presentation and research papers. Instructional objectives:1) Students will develop more profound understanding of literature's through global lenses 2) Students will develop and refine critical thinking, in speech and writing, and comparative methods of literary analysis 3) Students will develop communications skills in essays, response papers, class discussions, presentation and research papers.

War Stories: The Literature of War (US/IL): an exploration of representations of war in culture. This course considers how war is represented in a variety of cultural artifacts including literature, film, television, video games, music, art, etc. What stylizations, omissions, and blindnesses are necessary in order to represent the reality or the surreality of war? Readings are from the Classical period (the Iliad) to the current wars. Issues of memory, of traumatic reconstruction after the fact, and of the glorification of war as a necessary aftermath will complement some specific readings and films about (and often against) war. Texts and focus may vary but can include novels, film, video games, television, comics, social media, music, art, and more. Some of the major objectives of this course are to identify formal and aesthetic aspects of literary texts dealing with the topic of war and its aftermath including genre, period, style, theme, language, and narrative structure as well as analyze those texts and other artistic media within a comparative or global context. We will also compare written and visual texts from different cultures, regions, languages, time periods, and genres that deal with the concept of war.

Postcolonial literature and theory in a comparative and international context. CMLIT 446 Postcolonial Literature and Culture (3 per semester/maximum of 6) (IL) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements.Taking a comparative and transnational approach, this course will provide an advanced introduction to the field of postcolonial literature and theory. Readings will include the foundational anti-colonial writings of the early twentieth century, the postwar literature of decolonization, and the most recent literature on cultures of globalization. Themes to be discussed may include nationalism, subalternity, neocolonial formations, migration, and cultural translation. In general, this course will be taught in the active learning mode, featuring in-class discussion, writing projects, and group presentations. CMLIT 446 is one of the many courses, which count towards the Comparative Literature major and the World Literature minor.

Comparative exploration of various Buddhist literary cultures, from the classical Indian subcontinent to modern movements like the Beats and dalit writing. CMLIT 448 Literary Cultures of Buddhism (3) (IL)This course will provide an in-depth exploration of various cultures of Buddhist literary production. Readings will cover a broad temporal and geographical range. Prior study of Buddhism or literature is not required and materials will be in English. Students will learn about major genres of Buddhist literature, such as sutras (scripture), j'taka (stories of the Buddha's previous incarnations), hagiography, miracle tales, religiously inspired poetry, and k?an meditational riddles. The course will also examine the various forms into which contemporary authors have adapted these materials (such as manga, novels, memoirs, and film). The course, or individual units within the course, will be structured so that students develop an historical perspective, allowing them to understand the literary cultures that gave rise to the works under study. Class work includes some lecture but emphasizes guided discussions, group work, writing exercises, and some student presentations. This participatory approach is intended to deepen students' appreciation of the works, to help them understand value systems that may differ from those predominant in western cultures, and to assist students in developing both analytical and expressive abilities. The course is designed to be suitable for all students generally interested in religious cultures of writing, in Buddhism, or in literature, whether or not they have previously studied in any of these areas. The Comparative Literature major requires a certain number of electives at the 400-level, of which this could be one, depending on its content. Further, the course is designed to count as General Education and as an IL ("International") course. It will be taught, as feasible, every 2-3 years with an enrollment of 20-30 students. With the addition of supplementary reading and research assignments, the course may also be suitable for certain graduate students. This course would benefit from access to a laptop and digital projector.

Comparative discussion of the literary cultures of Islam from the seventh century to the present. CMLIT 449 Literary Cultures of Islam (3-6) (IL) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements.This course is an advanced introduction to the literary cultures of the Islamic world, from the seventh century to the present. No prior knowledge is required. Works will be read in translation. Students will study the foundational text of Islam, the Quran, as a literary text, and learn about major genres of Islamic literatures (ghazal, masnavi, and maqamah, among others). They will also examine how these genres have been adapted in modern literature and media (novels, memoirs, and film). Supplementary historical readings will be provided to contextualize the primary texts. CMLIT 449 is one of the many courses which count toward the Comparative Literature major and the World Literature minor.

This course explores the relationships between language and the medium of film through analysis of adaptations between other mediums and the cinema, and by analysis of the influences between the discourses of literature(s) and the cinema. The course has broad applicability not only to students of literature and students of the cinema, but to all students who need to understand ways to compare relationships between disparate communications and artistic media. Students begin by understanding techniques and theories of both cinematic and literary analysis. Then, they explore theories of adaptation between media, including general theories of artistic and cultural influence. Among the media students may encounter in addition to literary fiction and narrative cinema are the graphic novel, creative nonfiction, drama, poetry, journalism, video games, the documentary cinema, and the experimental cinema. Students work through case studies of adaptation in literal terms, such as the transformation of graphic novels into narrative cinema. Students also work through case studies in influence, in which distinct art and media discourses affect one another, as in the relationship between videogames and the cinema. Students study transmedia storytelling, in which core narratives are expressed in different media. Students also study transcultural and transnational storytelling, in which adaptation and influence are conducted across borders. Students study questions of representation, particularly of difference (race, class, sexuality/gender) and cultural specificity. Students learn the historical and institutional settings which have conditioned these intermediations. The economics of literary and media production and the circumstances of reception of distinct media are explored. Students will experience classical and non-classical forms of storytelling, as well as fictional and non-fictional discourses. In this course, students will meet ancillary concerns in adaptation, such as translation, dramaturgy, and genre scholarship. Students express their individual conclusions in summary projects which apply theory to particular instances of adaptation and influence between media. These projects may include creative work, and multimedia texts which enact as well as analyze adaptation. As advanced scholars in the disciplines of literary and cinematic studies, students are expected to synthesize previous learning in these fields in their summary projects.

Concepts of ethics, justice, and rights, appearing in world literature and/or film. CMLIT 455 Ethics, Justice, and Rights in World Literature (3) (IL)The course will consider how literature and culture address common concerns, including morality, justice, equality, and agency from different perspectives, aesthetic styles, and formal constraints. Students will consider how cultural texts, like legal and philosophical texts, have the power to influence politics and society. Literature is important for understanding ethics, justice, and rights because it teaches ways of thinking and of relating to others that are central to social values. How do we develop the commitment to social equity? How do stories develop ideas of altruism, of prejudice, of pathos, and more in their audience? What role does culture play in developing the moral imagination required to think through social crises? Each class will explore one or more interrelated topics through a variety of cultural and philosophical works. Readings might include works by Melville, Shakespeare, Kafka, Glaspell, Morrison, Capote, Garcia Marquez, and others. Topics might include: formalism; the paradoxes of equity; narrative, storytelling, and framing; custom, law and the political order; law, society, and power; interpretation, authority, and legitimacy; punishment, retribution, and redemption; and others. This course will provide an opportunity to think about the law and ethics in a new way, to read engaging works of fiction and non-fiction, and to examine the humanistic and philosophical perspectives that are at the core of the ethical imagination.

Major novels of Joyce, Proust, Kafka, Thomas Mann, Nabokov, and others; their contributions to the art of the novel. CMLIT 470 The Modern Novel (3) (IL) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements.This course focuses on the modern novel in a comparative and transnational perspective. It explores the basic connections between the modern period and the novel as a form, noting the rise to prominence of the novel in the modern period, and focuses on several important examples of the genre. Some versions of this course may adopt specific organizing themes, such as the novel and the city, the novel and war, the novel and love, and so on. Other versions may focus on the historical development of the novel over time or on crucial interpretive or narratological issues, including the problems of character, time, or point of view; still others may concentrate on major sub-genres of the modern novel, including realism, magic realism, modernism, and postmodernism.

Theoretical and practical concepts in the comparative, global history of poetry and/or poetics. CMLIT 471 Poetry and Poetics (3) (IL)This course explores theoretical and practical concepts in the history of poetry and/or poetics. Like all comparative literature courses, it pursues this task through discussions of poetry from a wide variety of national or linguistic origins and ranges widely across historical period, medium, and social form, where appropriate. Students will develop a broad array of interpretive skills appropriate to poetry and poetics; they will acquire a knowledge of a wide variety of poetic forms; they will undertake comparative analyses of poems and poetic structures; they will learn how to think about poetics outside poetry.

Traditional tales from various parts of the world: their origin, characteristics, forms; their transmission as oral narrative and written literature.

Development of tragic drama and its relationship to social background and philosophical theory.

Development of comic drama and its relationship to social background and philosophical theory.

A survey of developments in contemporary world fiction in translation. CMLIT 489 Contemporary World Fiction (3) (IL) The purpose of this course is to expose students to the developments in world fiction in the last 50 years and to expose them to a range of authors from a number of countries. This course, then, also involves getting to know the novel-writing histories of those countries and in many cases, the recent histories of those countries (for example, in novels like Rushdie's Midnight's Children or Garcia Marquez's Hundred Years of Solitude). The class will approach these fictions from a variety of thematic, historical, and/or generic vantages. Authors under consideration will vary from class to class, but may include writers such as Pamuk, Grass, Murakami, and Marquez. Time allotted for the study of the works under consideration will vary.

A comparative look at the nature and history of video games as cultural artifacts, from Pond to online role-playing. This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. The video game industry is larger than the film industry, and yet the academic study of video games has only just begun. This course is a comparative introduction to the nature and history of video games as cultural artifacts, from Pong to online role-playing. It introduces students to academic discussion on and creative work in new digital forms including hypertexts, video games, cell phone novels, machinima, and more. Studentswill learn basic narrative theory, and study its impact on game studies and game production. They will survey major debates over the meaning and value of video games, and review its history from Pong to contemporary games, including online world-based games. The course extends students' skills in literary interpretation to a variety of new objects, and makes them aware of the role medium plays in aesthetic development and production. Students will leave with a far sharper understanding of how the interpretivetools used in the humanities can be extended to include new media, and with a sense of the historical role video games have played and will continue to play in global cultural production.

A comparative, international study of adapations between literature and other media (film, theater, photography, music). CMLIT 491 Literary Adaptations: International and Comparative Perspectives (3 per semester/maximum of 6) (IL) (BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements.From the very first expressions of literary impulses in prehistoric times, and continuing through the present, literary material has been re-used and creatively recycled through processes of adaptation and appropriation, often involving translations not only between languages, but also between media. This course uses a global perspective to explore the processes and aesthetics of adaptations of literary works, including adaptations into other genres or media, such as the visual arts, a film, opera, stage play (or vice versa adaptations from other media into literature). Drawing upon a broadly international selection of materials, we will explore multiple discourses surrounding adaptation; address the importance of translation and the dynamics between languages, audiences, and texts; study how adaptations address common themes such as race, class, gender, and sexual orientation; discuss international taxonomies of literary genres; and critically assess different cultural notions of authorship, intellectual property, and communal vs. individual ownership. From year to year the works and authors studied in this course may change. Course objectives include (1) to encourage students to think critically about adaptations within and between cultures and media, in different parts of the world (2) to critically evaluate several of the often conflicting analytical paradigms which characterize the study of literary adaptations; (3) to assess varied approaches to genre in adapted works in different cultural settings; (4) to understand different perspectives on the concept of the author, such as the literary author and the 'author' in theatre studies; (5) to question assumptions about the world, re-examine personal points of view, and understand an expanded international range of ethical and value systems as expressed in literature. For methods of student evaluation, see the syllabus for each section; options include class presentations, response papers, research projects, and exams. This course may form part of the Comparative Literature major, the World Literature minor, and other majors.

Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small-group basis.

Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small-group basis.

Creative projects, including research and design, which are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses.

Formal courses given infrequently to explore, in depth, a comparatively narrow subject which may be topical or of special interest.

Advanced courses offered on comparative literary topics as part of a foreign-study program.