This course offers an interdisciplinary exploration of comparative studies and comparative literature,
placing special emphasis on the profound influence of Cold War ideologies, politics, and institutions
on global literary and cultural developments. Through a close reading of foundational texts and key
case studies, the course investigates the dynamic interplay between cultural production, political
ideologies, and intellectual frameworks in the 20th century.
Course Themes and Objectives
1. Foundations of Comparative Studies
Explore the historical and methodological origins of comparative approaches in the
humanities. Analyze key contributions from linguistics, history, and anthropology, with an
emphasis on Eastern and Central Europe as a locus of intellectual and cultural entanglement.
This theme provides the groundwork for understanding how comparison operates as a
scholarly and political tool.
2. Comparative and World Literature
Trace the emergence of world literature as a concept and discipline, from early formulations
by Herder and Goethe to its institutionalization in the modern era. Discussions will explore
how global literary exchanges were shaped by and responded to political ideologies, setting
the stage for Cold War transformations.
3. Cold War Cultures and World Literature
Investigate the Cold War as a critical period for global literary production and cultural
diplomacy. Topics include: Soviet Approaches to World Literature: Examine how the Soviet
Union leveraged literature as a medium of socialist internationalism and ideological
outreach. Cold War Cultural Diplomacy: Assess the strategic use of literature and intellectual
networks by both the U.S. and the Soviet Union in their ideological battles. Cultural Politics
and Intellectual Critiques: Engage with critiques of Cold War ideologies and their impact on
anthropology, history, and comparative studies.
4. Forging Cold War Solidarities
Explore the role of institutions like UNESCO and the ICLA in fostering literary and intellectual
solidarities across political divides. Topics include censorship practices, cross-border
collaborations, and the lasting influence of Cold War frameworks on contemporary literary
studies.
Knowledge:
At the end of the course, the learner will be able to demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the historical and methodological foundations of comparative and cultural studies. The learner will be able to explain the intersections of global literature and Cold War ideologies, focusing on cultural, political, and institutional dynamics. The learner will be able to identify and contextualize key texts and debates in comparative literature and world literature studies. The learner will be able to critically engage with and situate foundational texts in comparative literature within broader political and cultural contexts. Finally, the learner will be able to reflect on the legacy of Cold War cultural politics and articulate its implications for contemporary global literary exchange.
Skills:
At the end of the course, the learner will be able to analyze and interpret historical and analytical essays using critical and contextual approaches. The learner will be able to compare and contrast literary works within specific traditions or contexts, highlighting both unique features and shared concerns. The learner will also be able to apply critical thinking and analytical reasoning in written and oral discussions of course materials.
Attitude:
At the end of the course, the learner will be able to demonstrate openness to working across diverse cultural and intellectual contexts. The learner will be able to express a nuanced appreciation for historical contexts and key literary concepts that foster intellectual curiosity.
Autonomy and Responsibility:
At the end of the course, the learner will be able to synthesize complex ideas from multiple sources and formulate independent interpretations. The learner will be able to take responsibility for developing and presenting well-supported and original arguments based on course material.
Barnhisel, Greg. Cold War Modernists. New York: Columbia University Press, 2015.
Boas, Franz. “The Limitations of the Comparative Method of Anthropology.” Science 4, no. 103 (1896): 901–908.
Brouillette, Sarah. Literature and the Creative Economy. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2014.
Chomsky, Noam, ed. The Cold War and the University: Toward an Intellectual History of the Postwar Years. New York: The New Press, 1997.
Clark, Katerina. Moscow, the Fourth Rome: Stalinism, Cosmopolitanism, and the Evolution of Soviet Culture, 1931–1941. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2011.
Damrosch, David, Natalie Melas, and Mbongiseni Buthelezi, eds. The Princeton Sourcebook in Comparative Literature: From the European Enlightenment to the Global Present. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2009.
D’Haen, Theo, César Domínguez, and Mads Rosendahl Thomsen, eds. World Literature: A Reader. London: Routledge, 2013.
Greenberg, Udi. The Weimar Century: German Émigrés and the Ideological Foundations of the Cold War. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2015.
Mandler, Peter. “Deconstructing Cold War Anthropology.” In Uncertain Empire: American History and the Idea of the Cold War, edited by Joel Isaac and Duncan Bell, 245–266. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012.
Moyn, Samuel. Liberalism Against Itself: Cold War Intellectuals and the Making of Our Times. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2023.
Rubin, Andrew N. Archives of Authority: Empire, Culture, and the Cold War. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2012.
Tihanov, Galin. The Birth and Death of Literary Theory: Regimes of Relevance in Russia and Beyond. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2019.
The course will be structured around in-depth discussions of key texts, guided by the instructor’s thematic framing and close textual analysis. Active student participation will be essential, as each session will be designed to foster open, critical dialogue in which students contribute their own disciplinary and cultural perspectives. This intercultural exchange is intended to enrich the collective interpretation of the readings and encourage comparative insights. The dialogic format will be complemented by short, focused presentations by the instructor, including the use of visual materials to contextualize the literary and historical content. These presentations will serve both to introduce broader frameworks and to stimulate further discussion. Overall, the teaching method will emphasize collaborative learning, intercultural awareness, and critical engagement with both textual and visual materials.
Transcript of records
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
