Please note that courses listed here may not be offered during a given semester and new courses are regularly added to the curriculum. Please check here for the most current schedule of course offerings.
Where available syllabi can be found by clicking on the course title listed below.
Three-Year Schedule of Course Offerings in the Literature Major
This page presents the projected course offerings in the Literature major from Spring 2002 through Spring 2004.
LITR 201: Global Texts and Traditions I (3) - Professor Erec Koch; Spring Term 2002
Course Description: This gateway course provides an introduction to Western and non-Western literatures and cultures from the early modern period to the present. The course examines literary texts within a series of themes and topics, such as cultural encounter, intertextuality, representations of the Other, and revolution. We will examine cultural similarities and differences by analyzing modes of transculturation and literary transference within a framework of comparative methodology.
LITR 202: Global Texts and Traditions II (3) - Professor Molly Rothenberg; Spring Term 2002; (also offered by Professor Ray Taras)
Course Description: This gateway course provides an introduction to Western and non-Western literatures and cultures from the early modern period to the present. The course examines literary texts within a series of themes and topics, such as cultural encounter, intertextuality, representations of the Other, and revolution. We will examine cultural similarities and differences by analyzing modes of transculturation and literary transference within a framework of comparative methodology.
Course Description: This course familiarizes students with the tools of literary analysis in the major nonWestern and Western traditions. We study a variety of texts from diverse periods and traditions in terms of genre, literary history, formal terminology, canonicity, translation, textuality, and comparative approaches. Because this course also draws on texts and approaches studies in LITR 201 and 202, students should take those courses as prerequisites. We recommend that majors take this course before the required course in literary theory.
LITR 401- Introduction to Literary Theory (3)
This course aims to orient students to the major terms, issues, and debates informing contemporary literary theory. Beginning with the key roles that semiotics, Marxism and psychoanalysis play in today's literary theory and criticism, the course proceeds to consider questions of the "literary," formal versus historical approaches, contributions of feminism, gender studies, and queer theory, and issues pertaining to multiculturalism. LITR 201 and 202 are prerequisites. For majors, this course is recommended after LITR 301
LITR 481, 482 (3,3) Special Topics
A writing practicum is available. May be used to fulfill the college writing requirement.
LITR H499-H-500 Honors Thesis (3,4)
Admission be departmental and Honors Committee approval.
LITR 595 Senior Capstone Seminar -
Prerequisite: senior standing and LITR-201, 202, 301, and 401. This seminar offers majors an opportunity to explore in depth a topic in literary studies from a comparative perspective. Examples of some topics include: the literature of protest; globalization and the world’s literatures; war and the production/reception of literature; utopias and dystopias; wisdom literature; and post-modern narrative theory.
Example Senior Seminar: Globalization and Literature; Professor M. RothenbergCourse description: This capstone senior seminar provides an opportunity for students to integrate their education in literary studies by focusing on the literature that addresses issues of globalization and/or emerged from, recorded, prompted, or imagined cultural encounters through trade and commerce. We begin in the 17th century with the early modern origins of present-day global capitalism, and then undertake an exploration of 18th to 20th century literary representations of the developments of international consumerism, capital markets, and corporatism. The middle section of the course addresses how globalization affects the conception of literary studies as well as the production and reception of literature in the present day. The last part of the course is devoted to student symposia on globalization and literature, during which they will present their papers, to which other students will respond.
These will be posted as they become available.