As either a major or a minor, the comparative literature program allows students great freedom to explore an area of their choice. The department encourages cross-disciplinary work between students of many fields of interest through cultural and linguistic borders. Students will learn different national literatures as well as the literature of ethnic groups, exposing them to philosophy, modern theory, cultural studies, and translation studies from distinctive communicative contexts.

The Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies (CLCS) major at Franklin focuses on cultural phenomena and processes as they unfold under the pressure of historical, social, and economic forces. Inherent in our approach is an understanding of culture as an ever-evolving entity that demands continuous acts of interpretation, negotiation, and creativity.

Art History and Visual Culture courses investigate the production of art, architecture, and film through the technical, social, economic, cultural, psychological, and epistemological forces at work when they were produced and viewed.  The major places a particular emphasis on how images form beliefs and values, taking into account issues of ethnicity, gender, and class.

Comparative literature is the study of interrelationships among literary texts, themes, periods, theories, and genres without specific regard for national or linguistic boundaries. Beloit’s comparative literature major draws on the college’s strong offerings in modern languages, classics, English, and international studies.

Comparative Literature is a discipline focusing primarily on how modern Western and Japanese literature have influenced each other. However, the discipline goes further than merely cataloging the influence of specific works in the sense of a “balance sheet” or ingredients label. In the study of comparative literature, one is required to critique the major premise of globalization in literature, which was born out of the need to accept the modern literature of “the West” as well as resistance to globalization and the distinctive changes that have emerged as a result.

Comparative Literature is a wide-ranging, multicultural program of studies in cultural production (e.g., poetry, prose, drama, film, and digital production and related arts). Housed in the Department of Language, Literature and Culture, Comparative Literature is by nature interdisciplinary and has strong ties to several other departments in the University. Stories are the anchor of cultures and civilizations both ancient and modern. They connect people in powerful ways. In the comparative literature major, you'll explore how literature -- as well as film, music, and new media -- can build bridges across national borders, languages, and historical eras.

The Comparative Literature major allows students to address fundamental questions about the nature, function, and value of literature in a broadly comparative context. Students read and write about a wide variety of literary works across periods, genres, and national traditions. They investigate ancient and contemporary approaches to literary study, theories and methods of comparison, and the relationship of literature to film and other media. Majors have the freedom to construct a program of study that reflects their intellectual goals. All prospective majors should register with the director of undergraduate studies (DUS), who will work with them to develop a coherent sequence of courses suited to their individual interests.

Understand the cultural, national, and global context of literature through time. Comparative literature is a deeply interdisciplinary field that examines literary works from across human societies and examines their meaning in different contexts. Drawing from philosophy, history, linguistics, sociology, and the media, comparative literature asks what literature can tell us about our society and human society more broadly.

Comparative literature is inherently multicultural and dynamic; the comparative approach embraces world literature and culture in all periods of history. The comparative literature and culture major will teach you about crossing boundaries and encountering other ways of thinking and living.

Comparative Literature is the critical, interdisciplinary study of literatures, other media, and cultures from different geographic regions and linguistic groups and across different historical periods. In the broadest sense, it provides us with the tools to compare and contrast the experiences, identities, and material products of people in other places and other times. Central to comparative literature is a concern with how literature, culture and other media are both theorized and studied across historical periods and how different aspects of literature, culture and other media both inform and influence each other.

Combine your love of languages, literature, and the arts in an internationally focused major that builds essential communication and critical thinking skills.