The Department of Comparative Literature was awarded a Rackham grant for Global Engagement of Doctoral Education, to develop an institutional partnership with the Institute for World Literature (IWL). This program brings together faculty and advanced graduate students from around the world in a four-week set of seminars and lectures each July, taught by leading practitioners of world literary studies. The summer institute enables participants to gain training in new global approaches to literary study, and develop ongoing collegial networks in support of their work.  

The first three years of the summer institute will take place at Peking University in summer 2011, at Harvard University in summer 2012, and at Bilgi University in Istanbul in summer 2013.  For more information see www.iwl.fas.harvard.edu

PhD candidates in Comparative Literature at the University of Michigan are eligible to apply for funding to participate in the Institute for World Literature. Mei-Chen Pan and Corine Tachtiris were selected to participate in the 2011 inaugural summer session at Peking University, and David Porter (UM Professor of English and Comparative Literature) was invited to present a lecture as well.