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Interviewing for Comparative Literature in the studio

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE AND INTERCULTURAL STUDIES

Literature across and beyond national, cultural, or linguistic boundaries

Meet the People of Comparative Literature

Welcome to Comparative Literature

The Comparative Literature Department involves the integrated, comparative study of several literatures, languages and other cultural expressions in their interrelation, from a humanistic, interdisciplinary and global perspective. We see our mission as helping prepare our students for the basic cognitive and ethical challenges of our age of globalization, so as to be able to operate effectively in a diverse, multinational, multi-racial and multiethnic environment, both at home and abroad. To this end, we provide them with the tools to analyze and compare several literatures of the world both in their specific cultural and linguistic contexts and in their intercultural, regional and global reference frames. We provide instruction in intercultural and interdisciplinary methodology, literary theory and criticism, translation studies, the African, Asian and Western traditions and their relevance to the contemporary American and global scene. Thereby, we develop our students’ multicultural interpretive and communicative skills, their ability to feel at home in other cultures, effectively engaging in intercultural dialog and mutually beneficial cooperation, as well as their know-how, creativity, and flexibility in meeting the challenges of the new global economy and the super-diversity of our global society.

Our current course offerings include: 

-Introductory and advanced courses in several literatures of the world from a comparative, intercultural perspective, and a variety of theoretical models for interpreting literary and other cultural expressions such as film, music, plastic arts, and digital media in a global, multicultural environment.

-Elementary, intermediate and advanced courses in Asian and African languages from a global and intercultural perspective. We are currently offering Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Swahili, Vietnamese and Yoruba. At the advanced level, we introduce students to the most influential artistic productions of those cultural traditions and their relevance to the contemporary American, multicultural society. 

-Interdisciplinary courses, involving various fields in the humanities, arts, and social sciences and various geographical areas that are particularly fertile from an intercultural perspective, because they are situated at points of intersection between diverse cultures and systems of values and beliefs. They are global nodes linking East and West, and North and South, including the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Sub-Saharan and Pacific regions, as well as the Eurasian cultural expanse covering Russia and the other post-Soviet countries. 

In offering our interdisciplinary programs, our department cooperates on a regular basis with other academic and research units across the university, such as history, philosophy, religion, sociology, fine arts, political science and international affairs, geography, ecology, anthropology, linguistics, English, Romance, Germanic and Slavic studies, journalism and international business, as well as Latin American and Caribbean Studies, African Studies, and Asian Studies. 

We also house university-wide study abroad programs that include the Korean and Tanzanian programs.

Featured Content

Latest News

Were myths merely the irrational fantasies of unsophisticated or unenlightened peoples? Or is it possible that they represent a facet of human thinking that is as much with us today as ever? This course will explore these questions and more! DETAILS What: CMLT 3190 (57834)
Dr. Mi-Ryong Shim recently participated in “Global Studies”, a panel about humanities research at UGA and beyond as part of the inaugural UGA Humanities Festival.
Congratulations to Dong Yang, a class of 2022 Ph.D. graduate and Graduate Teaching Assistant in Comparative Literature, who has a position at Grinnell College, teaching Chinese language, literature and film Classes!

Upcoming Events



1260 S. Lumpkin Street, Athens, GA 30602


Georgia Museum of Art, Auditorium


Science Learning Center (SLC) Lecture Hall 45

Support us

We appreciate your financial support. Your gift is important to us and helps support critical opportunities for students and faculty alike, including lectures, travel support, and any number of educational events that augment the classroom experience. 

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Every dollar given has a direct impact upon our students and faculty.

Students at Tanzania

Our Study Abroad Program

Comparative Literature strongly encourages students to take advantage of the several opportunities the department offers to explore new cultures and international experiences. Students can choose from several different programs, including a couple of Japanese Exchange Programs, UGA South Korea Internship, Service Learning in Tanzania, and others.

View more about study abroad programs!