Instructor: Prof. Madina Tlostanova
Transnationality and Local Literatures / World Literature
Goals:
The seminar will explore some of the major effects of the multisided process of
cultural globalization on literature as an institution, literary studies in general and
particularly on comparative studies as a “child” of specific time, place and cultural
context. The seminar will focuses on the trans-cultural dimension of globalization
that balances the unifying one, creating specific aesthetics of globalization manifested
differently in different locales and for different subjectivities. One of the crucial
changes in the interpretation of the main categories of comparative studies brought by
globalization is the re-conceptualizing of the concept of world (global) literature, that
lied in the basis of comparative studies before, connected with the new understanding
of nation-states, national canon, tradition, etc. Another important change brought by
globalization lies in the area of languages and is manifested in the counterbalance of
the dominance of English as the new lingua franca of globalization and the
accentuating of trans-linguistic and hybrid phenomena throughout the world. An
important aspect in the reshaping of contemporary comparative studies seems to be
the accent on the difference as the basis of comparison as opposed to similarity as it
used to be before. Further on it is the imperial/colonial difference and the “colonial
matrix of modernity” that should be used in this respect for the definition of
comparative studies for the future. In today’s literary studies the contextual tendency
seems to dominate overruling the textual one once again and reshaping comparative
studies in particular ways. A more balanced position is obviously needed that would
combine the cultural studies bent and the more traditional aspects, such as aesthetics
and poetics. The aesthetics of trans-culturality is more adequate for the interpretation
of many new and emerging phenomena of the global literature today which otherwise
would slip through the grid of the set of concepts and approaches of traditional
comparative studies as a Eurocentric discipline.
The following general questions will be addressed and discussed in seminar
sessions:
 Globalization and (Re)definition of National Canon/Tradition
 Rethinking the World/National Literature Dichotomy. The
phenomenon of Trans-nationality.
 Difference / vs Similarity as a basis of comparative studies
 Globalization/Language/Literature
 Literature as Consumer Good
 Transcultural Aesthetics as an Other Globalization Sublime
 Transcultural Aesthetics in Action: Subjectivity, Chronotope,
Discourse
 Thematic challenges for transcultural aesthetics in the tensions
between the transnational and the local: historical trauma and
memory, global migrations, the secular versus the religious
Tasks and Evaluations:
Readings for the seminar include various fictional texts from all over the world
(from Great Britain to South Africa, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Turkey, etc., see
bibliography for more details). The classes will be held in English. The course
consists of 11 two-hour seminars, each of which will focus around one writer and
one book. The students will have to write one final paper. For the last class the
students will be required to turn in a 7 pp. abstract of the future paper they propose to
do for the final course requirements, explaining what texts and what theoretical
approaches they will use, and anticipating conclusions. There will be a discussion of
the feasibility and approach using peer critiques to aid in writing the final versions
(20-25 pp., due at the end of the semester; 75% of grade).
The evaluation of students performance will be as follows:
General class participation — 25 %
Final paper – 75%
Selected bibliography (to be used for the general preparation for the weekly discussions
and the final papers):
Mandatory:
1. Broeck S. 2003. Cross-Routes: the Meanings of “Race” for the 21st Century. Munster.
2. Mignolo W.D. 2001. “Rethinking the Colonial Model”. Rethinking Literary
History: A Dialogue on Theory. Linda Hutcheon, Mario J. Valdes eds. N.Y.: Oxford
University Press. p. 155—193.
3. Tiffin H. 1995. “Postcolonial Literatures and Counter-Discourse”. Postcolonial
Studies Reader. Eds. Bill Ashcroft, G. Griffith and H. Tiffin, L. & N.Y. : Routledge,
95—98.
4. Tlostanova M. 2005. The Sublime of Globalization ? Sketches on Trans-cultural
Subjectivity and Aesthetics. Moscow, URSS.
Optional:
1.Spivak G. 1999. A Critique of Postcolonial Reason: Toward a History of the
Vanishing Present. Cambridge: Harvard Univ. Press.
2. Huggan G. 2001. The Post-Colonial Exotic. Marketing the Margins. L.& N.Y.:
Routledge.
3. Ashcroft B. 2001. Post-Colonial Transformation. L.& N.Y.: Routledge.
Additional articles and interviews as well as specific questions for discussion will be
distributed in the form of handouts for several meetings.
The seminar will include the following topics :
Meeting 1: Trans-nationality, trans-culturality and rethinking of world literature
(mode- introductory lecture)
Meeting 2 : Salman Rushdie The Moor’s Last Sigh
Meeting 3: Caryl Phillips A Distant Shore
Meeting 4: David Dabydeen Turner, Jungle (excerpt from Our Lady of Demerara)
Meeting 5: Zadie Smith White Teeth
Meeting 6: Achmat Dangor Kafka’s Curse
Meeting 7: Erna Brodber Myal
Meeting 8: Orhan Pamuk The Black Book
Meeting 9: Yvonne Vera Butterfly Burning
Meeting 10: Dina Damian A Field Trip
Meeting 11: General conference discussing the projects of final papers.
Titles of novels, as well as secondary literature will be provided to interested students
at the end of WS 05/06 in a “Seminarapparat” and folder.