Comparative Literature: History, Theory and Method | Humanities & Social Sciences

Comparative Literature: History, Theory and Method

Course Number: 
HSL677
LTP structure: 
3-0-0
Discipline: 
Literature
Credit: 
3.0

Pre-requisite

Course Objective

• Introduce and explore the history and debates on Comparative Literature as a critical field of research practice within Humanities for an interdisciplinary study of texts

• Survey and evaluate ideas and ideals, discursive practices, and the tools of comparative studies to understand cultural and literary expressions

• Comprehend and discuss: 1) the history of origins and discontents in Europe, 2) multiple sojourns in the Anglo-American academia, and 3) comparative and translating presence in multilingual cultures of India.

• Use critical tools that not only combine historical and thematic frameworks to study cultural expressions but also unravel the trajectory of comparative thought to discuss the compelling futures of research in languages

• Demonstrate familiarity to discuss and illustrate arguments, and establish a broader understanding and relationship of an up-to-date critical narrative on diverse topics such as “comparative, world, regional, and national” literatures, disciplinary origins and crisis, theory and practice, multilingualism, postcolonialism, vernaculars, and translations

• Provide a comprehensive and cutting-edge survey of comparative literatures practiced across the world as theory and practice with a particular focus on critical reading, writing and discussion in the South Asian region

Course Content

This course will introduce students to the disciplinary formation of comparative literature, its theories, and history. It will consider the following topics: origins in crisis; new critical practices; multilingualism, vernaculars and translations; the future of (comparative) literature

The information provided here may not be updated. Please check UG/PG section for updated course offering data.