Spring 2023

Comparative study of Latin American cultures, especially vis-a-vis those of Europe and the U.S. Materials drawn from literature, but also film, opera, history, cultural theory.

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 transformations of characters and themes from myth, legend or fairytale (Oedipus, Antigone, Faust, Don Juan, Cinderella, Comic and Tragic Twins, Hero and Monster).

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

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

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

Examination of Budapest and Hungarian culture at-large through literature and film, and social and cultural analysis. Conducted in English.

Examines the relation between historical and theoretical approaches to literary works.

A comparative study of Dada and Surrealism in literature in relation to painting, sculpture, photography and cinema.

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.

Writing of an honors thesis under individual faculty supervision.

Intensive study of a theoretical tradition or critical movement, or of an individual topic or thinker, in literary criticism or theory.