Spring 2020

Comparative study of works from a broad range of cultural traditions that originate from, and provide insight into, vital global locations outside the Western sphere.

A comparative study of the Asian aesthetic heritage of poetry, painting, music, and drama; of literary themes, trends, and myths.

Cultural dimensions of issues in globalization: migration, diaspora, terrorism, communications, climate change, collectives, production and technology, money and exchange.

Study of the Modernist aesthetic in narrative texts by Gide, Joyce, Kafka, Woolf and others; possible focus on related trends in other literary traditions.

Examines literature and film as distinct modes of representation, narration, and structuring of time, language, memory, and visuality.

Introduction to works of major women writers from the Middle Agesto the 20th century in their literary, social, and cultural contexts.

Literary representations and theories of gender difference. Examines questions of gendered voice in writing and the cultural construction of gender in various periods and cultures.

Studies of the presence and influence of Zen Buddhism and Taoismin Asian literature, with a focus on China and Japan.

Survey of major texts in the literary criticism of the West from the Greeks to postmodern theories.

The noir tradition in books and films set in Los Angeles. Emphasis on generic conventions, representations of the city, and discourses of class, gender, race.

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.

Writing of an honors thesis under individual faculty supervision.

Intensive study of selected author or authors in the context of a major literary tradition.

Workshop in translation; capstone to graduate certificate in Translation Studies.

Topics focusing on social and political thought, psychoanalysis, and philosophy in relation to literary and cultural analysis.