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About the Program

The Program in Comparative Literary Studies is committed to the exploration of literatures and cultures through the questioning of nationality, linguistic practices, history, and the uses of media and the visual arts. The program also encourages critical and theoretical engagement with the field of world literature in the context of globalization. Its majors pursue a broad program of study that enables them to become familiar with two cultural traditions, acquire knowledge of literary theory, and form a concentration in an area of particular interest to themselves. The Ph.D. program combines an intensive study in a "home department" with a thorough training in theory and in the methodology of comparative literature. The program sponsors many lectures and colloquia that are free and open to the public.