CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT: Associate Professor Ruttenberg
DIRECTOR OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES: Professor Chioles

Comparative literature is an innovative, interdisciplinary major that allows students to explore literature and literary questions unfettered by national borders and institutional boundaries. In comparative literature, students develop a multifaceted critical approach that both emphasizes the integrity of literature and expands on the understanding of textuality to include all cultural artifacts and modes of thought that involve language and representation. The Department of Comparative Literature encourages students to pursue theoretical and philosophical modes of reading while engaging texts and developing an understanding of the theory and non-English practice of translation. To interrogate how literature is enmeshed in nonliterary contexts, comparative literature majors may develop expertise in relevant related disciplines such as art history, philosophy, history, anthropology, and cinema studies. Comparative literature departmental course offerings include classes in world literature and interdisciplinary studies where students work intensively with a distinguished faculty composed of scholars in African, Caribbean, Chinese, European and Anglo-American, Japanese, Latin American, and Russian and Slavic literary studies.

Faculty

University Professor:
Diawara

Professors:
Apter, Baer, Braithwaite, Chioles, Iampolski, Javitch, Reiss, Ronell, K. Ross, Sieburth, X. Zhang

Associate Professors:
Basterra, Dopico, Ruttenburg, Sanders

Assistant Professor:
Vincent

Associated Faculty:
Bishop, Fischer, Freccero, Molloy, Pratt, Stam, Tylus

Affiliated Faculty:
Aching, Affron, Beaujour, Dash, Feldman, Haverkamp, Hollier, Kennedy, Krabbenhoft, Levy, Lockridge, Meisel, Mikhail, Schechner, Shohat, Vitz, Yúdice