
Spring 2009
For the Spring 2009 Schedule of Classes, click here. For a more detailed description of a given course being offered this semester, click the course title.
Comparative study of works from a broad range of cultural traditions that originate from, and provide insight into, vital global locations outside the Western sphere.
Survey of literary and other cultural texts from the 19th to the 21st centuries, with emphasis on the individual and social change.
Cultural dimensions of issues in globalization: migration, diaspora, terrorism, communications, climate change, collectives, production and technology, money and exchange.
Study of transformations of characters and themes from myth, legend or fairytale (Oedipus, Antigone, Faust, Don Juan, Cinderella, Comic and Tragic Twins, Hero and Monster).
Study of mass-reproduced verbal and visual art forms, such as graphic novels, comics, animation, popular music, video, graffiti, advertising.
Introduction to works of major women writers from the Middle Ages to the 20th century in their literary, social, and cultural contexts.
Examines the relation between historical and theoretical approaches to literary works.
Intensive study of fictional or poetic language, with emphasis on techniques of literary analysis.
Preparation of book and article manuscripts for publication and placement in presses and journals; revising dissertations for publication; preparing papers for conferences. Students produce an article manuscript ready for submission to a journal. Open to graduate students only. Graded CR/NC. Major Field Exam must be passed prior to taking this course.
Fall 2008
For the Fall 2008 Schedule of Classes, click here. For a more detailed description of a given course being offered this semester, click the course title.
A broad introduction to the great works of Western culture from antiquity to 1800. (Duplicates credit in former COLT 150xg.)
Comparative study of Latin American cultures, especially vis-a-vis those of Europe and the U.S. Materials drawn from literature, but also film, opera, history, cultural theory.
Introduction to general forms of reflection on literary discourse.
Comparative study of major modern dramatic trends, subgenres, and techniques, through representative works from Strindberg to the Theatre of the Grotesque and the Absurd. (Duplicates credit in former COLT 305.)
Introduction to psychoanalytic literature on the arts, including classic texts by Freud, Jones, Lacan, Derrida, and others. Readings of theoretical and fictional works.
Studies of the presence and influence of Zen Buddhism and Taoism in Asian literature, with a focus on China and Japan.
Examination of literary and autobiographical texts that raise questions of justice in multicultural societies; links to theories of justice in historical, political, or philosophical contexts.
Relations between technology, desire, power and literature through contemporary philosophers, theorists and literary critics. Examines literature and philosophy in relation to global technological planning.
Major developments in 20th-century literary criticism, with special attention to theoretical work of the past three decades.
Literary currents from classical antiquity through to the 17th century. Varying focus on specific genres, periods, movements, or problematics.
Familiarizes students with the process of seeking an academic position, from assembling a dossier to interviews and on-campus visits. Open to graduate students only. Graded CR/NC. Prerequisite: admission to candidacy.
Topics in reciprocal relation of visual arts and theory to narratology, semiotics, psychoanalysis, and other areas.
Summer 2008
For the Summer 2008 Schedule of Classes, click here.
For a more detailed description of a given course that was offered this semester, click the course title.
Survey of literary and other cultural texts from the 17th to the 21st centuries, with emphasis on the individual and social change. Not available for major credit.
Spring 2008
For the Spring 2008 Schedule of Classes, click here. For a more detailed description of a given course that was offered this semester, click the course title.
Cultural dimensions of issues in globalization: migration, diaspora, terrorism, communications, climate change, collectives, production and technology, money and exchange.
Introduction to works of major women writers from the Middle Ages to the 20th century in their literary, social, and cultural contexts.
The noir tradition in books and films set in Los Angeles. Emphasis on generic conventions, representations of the city, and discourses of class, gender, race.
A comparative study of Dada and Surrealism in literature in relation to painting, sculpture, photography and cinema.
Introduction to critical reflection on the image. Analysis of criticism, fiction, film, and visual artifacts.
Literary currents from the 19th century to the present. Varying focus on specific genres, periods, movements, or problematics. Views of the modern in different cultural contexts.
Preparation of book and article manuscripts for publication and placement in presses and journals; revising dissertations for publication; preparing papers for conferences. Students produce an article manuscript ready for submission to a journal. Open to graduate students only. Graded CR/NC. Major Field Exam must be passed prior to taking this course.
Fall 2007
For the Fall 2007 Schedule of Classes, click here. For a more detailed description of a given course that was offered this semester, click the course title.
Survey of literary and other cultural texts from the 17th to the 21st centuries, with emphasis on the individual and social change. Not available for major credit.
Comparative study of Latin American cultures, especially vis-a-vis those of Europe and the U.S. Materials drawn from literature, but also film, opera, history, cultural theory.
Introduction to general forms of reflection on literary discourse.
Comparative study of groundbreaking contributions to modern theories of theater and performance in the context of other 20th century revolutions—aesthetic, cultural, and social.
Examination of literary and autobiographical texts that raise questions of justice in multicultural societies; links to theories of justice in historical, political, or philosophical contexts.
Intensive study of selected author or authors in the context of a major literary tradition.
Major developments in 20th-century literary criticism, with special attention to theoretical work of the past three decades.
Familiarizes students with the process of seeking an academic position, from assembling a dossier to interviews and on-campus visits. Open to graduate students only. Graded CR/NC.
Prerequisite: admission to candidacy.
Intensive study of a theoretical tradition or critical movement, or of an individual topic or thinker, in literary criticism or theory. May be repeated for credit.