AST 205: Perspectives on World Literature

Goal: Through close reading and discussion of literature from primarily non-Western cultures, students explore such topics as the legacy of colonialism in world literature, challenges of cross-cultural literary analysis, and strategies writers use to shape their identities or engender social change. Students will identify issues arising from increasingly complex global connections; analyze how components such as socio-economic status, ethnicity, race, and religion shape beliefs and behaviors; and communicate and interact effectively across cultures.
Content: Each semester this class selects a particular perspective from which to consider authors’ use of creative writing to address issues in their lives and the lives of their communities. Such perspectives may include a particular geographical region, cultural phenomenon, or component of writers’ identity (for example, African literature, globalization, or expatriated writers).
Gen. Ed. Category: Synthesizing Perspectives; Diverse & Interdependent World; (HUM).
Cross-Listed as: ENG 205.
Credit: 3
Degree Level: Undergraduate