Worlds of Comparative Literature
The ACLA State of the Discipline Report
Will be published approx. on 12. November 2026
Book
Hardback
448 pages
979-8-216-44769-6 (ISBN)
Description
This open access collection of more than 40 essays from distinguished and up-and-coming scholars provides a definitive point of reference for the field of comparative literature globally in the 2020s.
Worlds of Comparative Literature, the sixth incarnation of the ACLA (American Comparative Literature Association) State of the Discipline Report, showcases the most up-to-date work of leading scholars in the field. With an editorial team made up of distinguished and authoritative voices, an international range of contributors, and a forward-thinking vision of current trends in scholarship, this is an invaluable snap shot of the field against a backdrop of constant change in the Humanities and higher education.
Organized around key concepts and paradigms, new directions and trends, global perspectives, and institutional representation, Worlds of Comparative Literature offers a broad range of coverage on new developments - such as Global South studies, Indigenous studies, and medical humanities - and reflects the current place of comparative literature at universities and colleges. The volume features essays by 10 past presidents of the ACLA and the ADPCL (Association of Departments and Programs of Comparative Literature) and 3 past presidents of the ICLA (International Comparative Literature Association). It also moves away from a US-centered approach, with global perspectives making up more than a third of the volume and contributors based in countries such as Argentina, China, Denmark, India, New Zealand, Qatar, and the UK.
The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA, and University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
Worlds of Comparative Literature, the sixth incarnation of the ACLA (American Comparative Literature Association) State of the Discipline Report, showcases the most up-to-date work of leading scholars in the field. With an editorial team made up of distinguished and authoritative voices, an international range of contributors, and a forward-thinking vision of current trends in scholarship, this is an invaluable snap shot of the field against a backdrop of constant change in the Humanities and higher education.
Organized around key concepts and paradigms, new directions and trends, global perspectives, and institutional representation, Worlds of Comparative Literature offers a broad range of coverage on new developments - such as Global South studies, Indigenous studies, and medical humanities - and reflects the current place of comparative literature at universities and colleges. The volume features essays by 10 past presidents of the ACLA and the ADPCL (Association of Departments and Programs of Comparative Literature) and 3 past presidents of the ICLA (International Comparative Literature Association). It also moves away from a US-centered approach, with global perspectives making up more than a third of the volume and contributors based in countries such as Argentina, China, Denmark, India, New Zealand, Qatar, and the UK.
The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA, and University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
With dust jacket
Illustrations
19 bw illus
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 178 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
454 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-216-44769-6 (9798216447696)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Wail S. Hassan is Professor and Head of the Department of Comparative & World Literature at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA. His publications include Immigrant Narratives: Orientalism and Cultural Translation in Arab American and Arab British Literature (2011), The Oxford Handbook of Arab Novelistic Traditions (2017), and Arab Brazil: Fictions of Ternary Orientalism (2024).
Shu-mei Shih is Professor of Comparative Literature, Asian Languages and Cultures, and Asian American Studies, and the Irving and Jean Stone Chair in Humanities at University of California, Los Angeles, USA. Her publications include The Lure of the Modern: Writing Modernism in Semicolonial China, 1917-1937 (2001), Visuality and Identity: Sinophone Articulations across the Pacific (2007), and Against Diaspora: Discourse on Sinophone Studies (2017).
Shu-mei Shih is Professor of Comparative Literature, Asian Languages and Cultures, and Asian American Studies, and the Irving and Jean Stone Chair in Humanities at University of California, Los Angeles, USA. Her publications include The Lure of the Modern: Writing Modernism in Semicolonial China, 1917-1937 (2001), Visuality and Identity: Sinophone Articulations across the Pacific (2007), and Against Diaspora: Discourse on Sinophone Studies (2017).
Content
Introduction Wail S. Hassan (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA) and Shu-mei Shih (University of California, Los Angeles, USA)
Part 1. Parameters
1. Histories of Comparative Literature: The Last Decade Anca Parvulescu (Washington University in St Louis, USA)
2. Beyond Compare Francoise Lionnet (University of California, Los Angeles, USA)
3. Modernist Visions, Comparative Horizons: The Global Discipline Reimagined Firat Oruc (Georgetown University in Qatar)
4. Expanded Comparisons Zhang Longxi (Hunan Normal University, China)
5. Embracing Ignorance Lucia Boldrini (University College London, UK)
6. On Disconnect: Severed Wires of Globalization Adhira Mangalagiri (New York University, USA)
7. Comparative, Cross-Cultural, Connected Shaj Mathew (Trinity University, USA)
8. The Limits of Comparative Literature Glenn Odom (University of Roehampton, London, UK)
9. Postmortem Comparatism Juan Meneses (University of North Carolina, Charlotte, USA)
10. The Stasis in the Crisis: Value Theory for an Age of Extremes G. S. Sahota (University of California, Santa Cruz, USA)
11. Comparative Literature at the End of the World? Corey Byrnes (Northwestern University, USA)
12. Grounds of Comparison in East-West Literary Studies: Continuity and Innovation Sheldon Lu (University of California, Davis, USA)
Part 2. New Directions
13. South-South Comparison and Global South Studies Magali Armillas-Tiseyra (Pennsylvania State University, USA) and Anne Garland Mahler (University of Virginia, USA)
14. Comparatism's Afro-Asian Turn Hala Halim (New York University, USA)
15. Settler of Color Critique and Comparative Literature Shu-mei Shih (University of California, Los Angeles, USA)
16. Integrating Comparative Literature and the Medical and Health Humanities Karen Laura Thornber (Harvard University, USA)
17. Metamorphoses: From Comparative Literature to the Biohumanities Tomasz Bilczewski (Jagiellonian University, Poland)
18. Mediated Witnessing: New Streams in Witnessing Studies Fatima Festic (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
19. Crossing Imperial Scales of Time: Comparison Against Periodization Tianyi Shou (Cornell University, USA)
20. Multilingual World Literature: Unwelcoming Hermeneutics and Vulnerable Critique Matylda Figlerowicz (Harvard University, USA)
Part 3. Perspectives from Around the World
21. Proverbial Questions and Indigenous Answers Jacob Edmond (University of Otago, New Zealand)
22. Between Pages and Politics: Taiwan's Comparative Literature in a Geopolitical Framework Yu-lin Lee (Academia Sinica, Taiwan)
23. Bandung as Method in Southeast Asia Nazry Bahrawi (University of Washington, USA)
24. Practicing Comparative Literature in India: Geopolitics in a Pluralist Ethical Frame Ipshita Chanda (The English & Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, India)
25. State of the Discipline in Turkiye and Possible Trajectories Hasan Baktir and Ahmet Ipsirli (Erciyes University, Turkiye)
26. New Histories of Comparative Literature in Slovenia Blaz Zabel (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia)
27. Comparing the Literatures of/in Europe in a Global Age Theo D'haen (Leiden University, The Netherlands)
28. Literature and Multilingualism in Europe Nuria Codina Sola (KU Leuven, Belgium) and Jesse van Amelsvoort (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
29. Comparative Literature in Denmark Mads Rosendahl Thomsen (Aarhus University, Denmark)
30. Renaissance of a Discipline: Teaching Comparative Literature in the United Kingdom Rowan Tomlinson (University of Bristol, UK)
31. Comparatism: A Vision from the South Jose Luis Jobim (Federal Fluminense University, Brazil)
32. Between Latin American Studies and Comparative Literature Florencia Garramuno (University of San Andres, Brazil)
Part 4. Institutions
33. The Expansive Contraction of Comparative Studies David Damrosch (Harvard University, USA)
34. The State of Comparative Literature in 2023: Theory, Practice, and University Bureaucracy Kathleen Komar (University of California, Los Angeles, USA)
35. The Americas, Otherwise: Part 2 Lois Parkinson Zamora (University of Houston, USA)
36. The Recent Past and Near Future of Comparative Literature: Time-to-Degree as Symptom Haun Saussy (University of Chicago, USA)
37. Jack of All Trades, Master of None! Ali Behdad (University of California, Los Angeles, USA)
38. Translation, Migration, and Culture: Language Encounters in Life and in Art Sandra Bermann (Princeton University, USA)
39. Multilingualism, Heritage Languages, and the Future of Comparative Literature Melek Ortabasi (Simon Fraser University, Canada)
40. Founding the ADPCL Michael Palencia-Roth (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA)
41. Parallel Lives: The Association of Departments and Programs of Comparative Literature (ADPCL) Shadows the ADE and ADL Thomas Beebee & Caroline Eckhardt (Penn State University, USA)
42. Report on the 2024 National Survey of PhD Programs in Comparative Literature Yopie Prins (University of Michigan, USA) & Luis Fernando Restrepo (University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, USA)
Acknowledgments
Notes on Contributors
index
Part 1. Parameters
1. Histories of Comparative Literature: The Last Decade Anca Parvulescu (Washington University in St Louis, USA)
2. Beyond Compare Francoise Lionnet (University of California, Los Angeles, USA)
3. Modernist Visions, Comparative Horizons: The Global Discipline Reimagined Firat Oruc (Georgetown University in Qatar)
4. Expanded Comparisons Zhang Longxi (Hunan Normal University, China)
5. Embracing Ignorance Lucia Boldrini (University College London, UK)
6. On Disconnect: Severed Wires of Globalization Adhira Mangalagiri (New York University, USA)
7. Comparative, Cross-Cultural, Connected Shaj Mathew (Trinity University, USA)
8. The Limits of Comparative Literature Glenn Odom (University of Roehampton, London, UK)
9. Postmortem Comparatism Juan Meneses (University of North Carolina, Charlotte, USA)
10. The Stasis in the Crisis: Value Theory for an Age of Extremes G. S. Sahota (University of California, Santa Cruz, USA)
11. Comparative Literature at the End of the World? Corey Byrnes (Northwestern University, USA)
12. Grounds of Comparison in East-West Literary Studies: Continuity and Innovation Sheldon Lu (University of California, Davis, USA)
Part 2. New Directions
13. South-South Comparison and Global South Studies Magali Armillas-Tiseyra (Pennsylvania State University, USA) and Anne Garland Mahler (University of Virginia, USA)
14. Comparatism's Afro-Asian Turn Hala Halim (New York University, USA)
15. Settler of Color Critique and Comparative Literature Shu-mei Shih (University of California, Los Angeles, USA)
16. Integrating Comparative Literature and the Medical and Health Humanities Karen Laura Thornber (Harvard University, USA)
17. Metamorphoses: From Comparative Literature to the Biohumanities Tomasz Bilczewski (Jagiellonian University, Poland)
18. Mediated Witnessing: New Streams in Witnessing Studies Fatima Festic (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
19. Crossing Imperial Scales of Time: Comparison Against Periodization Tianyi Shou (Cornell University, USA)
20. Multilingual World Literature: Unwelcoming Hermeneutics and Vulnerable Critique Matylda Figlerowicz (Harvard University, USA)
Part 3. Perspectives from Around the World
21. Proverbial Questions and Indigenous Answers Jacob Edmond (University of Otago, New Zealand)
22. Between Pages and Politics: Taiwan's Comparative Literature in a Geopolitical Framework Yu-lin Lee (Academia Sinica, Taiwan)
23. Bandung as Method in Southeast Asia Nazry Bahrawi (University of Washington, USA)
24. Practicing Comparative Literature in India: Geopolitics in a Pluralist Ethical Frame Ipshita Chanda (The English & Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, India)
25. State of the Discipline in Turkiye and Possible Trajectories Hasan Baktir and Ahmet Ipsirli (Erciyes University, Turkiye)
26. New Histories of Comparative Literature in Slovenia Blaz Zabel (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia)
27. Comparing the Literatures of/in Europe in a Global Age Theo D'haen (Leiden University, The Netherlands)
28. Literature and Multilingualism in Europe Nuria Codina Sola (KU Leuven, Belgium) and Jesse van Amelsvoort (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
29. Comparative Literature in Denmark Mads Rosendahl Thomsen (Aarhus University, Denmark)
30. Renaissance of a Discipline: Teaching Comparative Literature in the United Kingdom Rowan Tomlinson (University of Bristol, UK)
31. Comparatism: A Vision from the South Jose Luis Jobim (Federal Fluminense University, Brazil)
32. Between Latin American Studies and Comparative Literature Florencia Garramuno (University of San Andres, Brazil)
Part 4. Institutions
33. The Expansive Contraction of Comparative Studies David Damrosch (Harvard University, USA)
34. The State of Comparative Literature in 2023: Theory, Practice, and University Bureaucracy Kathleen Komar (University of California, Los Angeles, USA)
35. The Americas, Otherwise: Part 2 Lois Parkinson Zamora (University of Houston, USA)
36. The Recent Past and Near Future of Comparative Literature: Time-to-Degree as Symptom Haun Saussy (University of Chicago, USA)
37. Jack of All Trades, Master of None! Ali Behdad (University of California, Los Angeles, USA)
38. Translation, Migration, and Culture: Language Encounters in Life and in Art Sandra Bermann (Princeton University, USA)
39. Multilingualism, Heritage Languages, and the Future of Comparative Literature Melek Ortabasi (Simon Fraser University, Canada)
40. Founding the ADPCL Michael Palencia-Roth (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA)
41. Parallel Lives: The Association of Departments and Programs of Comparative Literature (ADPCL) Shadows the ADE and ADL Thomas Beebee & Caroline Eckhardt (Penn State University, USA)
42. Report on the 2024 National Survey of PhD Programs in Comparative Literature Yopie Prins (University of Michigan, USA) & Luis Fernando Restrepo (University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, USA)
Acknowledgments
Notes on Contributors
index