2017-2018 Catalog

Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture

Overview

Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture (CSLC) offers students the opportunity to study the literatures of many different national traditions from a variety of historical periods, and to do so in a uniquely interdisciplinary manner. Both its individual courses and major program of study exemplify the ideals of a liberal arts education, as well as Occidental College’s particular mission to prepare its students to engage as fully and as fruitfully as possible in a complex, interdependent, and pluralistic world.

The CSLC major is rooted in the students' understanding of the linguistic structures of at least one foreign language, as this offers an essential point of entry not only into the study of the literatures within that language, but helps provide an important perspective from which to appreciate the cultural and linguistic differences that comprise any literary tradition. As with any formal literary study, our students, both major and non-majors alike, can expect to become proficient in the appreciation and interpretation of a whole array of literary texts and genres, as well as the many emerging methods and theories that can be brought to bear upon them. Yet as no one literature exists in a vacuum, but is rather shaped by, and helps shape, the institutions, intellectual perspectives and lived experience of the culture in which it is located, we encourage our students to work with faculty mentors to develop a personalized program of study that would allow each student to engage with his or her chosen literature (or literatures) from a specific disciplinary point of view (for example: literature and music, literature and philosophy, literature and gender, literature and science, ancient and modern literature, the literature of different national traditions).

Students majoring in Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture currently have the option of choosing an emphasis in German, Greek, Latin, or Russian. Other languages offered at Occidental can also be used to fulfill the requirements of the major, but require the approval of CSLC and the other language department. Though it is by no means required, students are also invited to incorporate courses from the Studies Abroad program into the overall design of their major.

Major Requirements

COURSEWORK

A major requires a minimum of 9 classes including the senior seminar. Students are required to take courses that reflect the interrelated aspects of the major:

CSLC 200Literature, Culture, Self: Being in the Wor(l)d

4 units

SECOND-STAGE WRITING REQUIREMENT

Students majoring in CSLC will satisfy the second-stage writing requirement by taking a 300-level CSLC junior seminar with a writing component. At least one substantial writing assignment incorporating primary text in the student's target language will prepare students to do their Senior Comprehensive Project.  The instructor will deem a student's writing proficient with a notation of "Satisfactory" for the junior writing requirement.

COMPREHENSIVE REQUIREMENT

HONORS

Minor Requirements

Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture:

German:

Russian:

Classical Studies:

Courses

Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture Courses

Faculty

Regular Faculty

Damian Stocking, chair

Associate Professor, Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture Department

B.A., UC Berkeley; M.A., Ph.D., UCLA

Debra Freas

Full-time NTT Assistant Professor, Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture; Advisory Committee for Classical Studies Minor

B.A., University of Texas; Ph.D., UC Irvine

Walter Richmond

Full Time NTT Professor, Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture; Advisory Committee, Group Language

B.A., Arizona State University; M.A., Ph.D., USC

Katharina Von Ankum

NTT Assistant Professor, Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture

BA, University of Tübingen; MA, PhD University of Massachusetts at Amherst