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What is Comp Lit?

What is Comparative Literature?
We are an interdisciplinary field of study of literatures and cultures across the borders of language, geography, and time.

Comparative Literature = Global Humanities.

Humanities
In Comparative Literature classes, you will read cool, exciting, and beautiful texts translated from many languages. You may also study film, visual art, music, philosophy, world popular culture, and critical theory. We cultivate curiosity and creativity in teaching and learning.

Global
Every Comparative Literature instructor speaks and studies multiple languages. Though all Comparative Literature courses are taught in English, the approach is always shaped by the instructor’s immersion in more than one language and cultural tradition.

Flexible
You can pursue study abroad and take courses in multiple departments such as English Literature, American Culture, Anthropology, Middle Eastern Studies, Sociology, Philosophy, History, Art, Classics, Women’s Studies, Film, TV, and Media.

Individual
You can combine your critical and creative interests across disciplines to develop your unique approach to Comparative Literature.

Our Curriculum
Comparative Literature courses reflect the wide diversity of our faculty’s interests. Topics have recently included Global Zombies; Film, TV, Netflix and Philosophy; Great Performances at Michigan; Literature and the Body; Literature and Ideas; Literature Across Borders.
Offerings vary every semester!