Comparative Literary Studies (CLS) is unique among humanistic disciplines in that it has no subject-matter that can be predetermined. As its name indicates, its area of study encompasses “literature,” but unlike other literary disciplines the objects it investigates are not situated in any one “national” tradition or any one “natural” language. Rather, its boundary is defined by the plurality and diversity of differing cultural and linguistic traditions. In respect to such differences, the “comparisons” pursued in CLS do not primarily strive to establish “parity” between what is being compared, but rather explore problems that develop across different language-traditions and emerge out of their interaction.
| Program Co-Directors, Sam Weber s-weber (at) northwestern.edu Peter Fenves p-fenves (at) northwestern.edu Program Assistant, Apostolos Vasilakis a-vasilakis (at) northwestern.edu |
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