Comparative literature is the study of cultural expression across linguistic boundaries. At Brown, the Department of Comparative Literature is distinct in its conviction that literary research and instruction must be international in character, and its undergraduate and graduate programs are considered among the finest in the country. Undergraduate students study a generous range of literary works – from Western cultures, both ancient and modern, to Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic – to develop a critical understanding of how cultures differ from one another.
Comparative Literature
Comparative Literature
Comparative Literature
In the spirit of Brown's Open Curriculum, a concentration in Comparative Literature affords great academic freedom.
The graduate program in Comparative Literature at Brown offers a vigorous and comprehensive exploration of literature and culture.
Recent News
Check out the latest news in CompLit@Brown. You can find more stories on the News & Events page.
For the first time since Spring of 2019, the Comparative Literature Department will hold its Commencement Diploma Ceremony in-person for the class of 2022.
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Comp Lit senior concentrators may choose to do an honors thesis. Most students require two semesters to plan and complete an Honors Thesis, which is usually between 50 and 100 pages long.
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Comparative Literature PhD student, Baoli Yang, will deliver a presentation at the Brown Grad School's "Research Matters" event. Baoli's research primarily focuses on medieval Sinoscript literature and its modern repercussions, manuscript culture, Chinese poetics, empire studies, and Silk Road studies.
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In the April 8th issue of the Brown Daily Herald, Comp Lit professor, Arnold Weinstein, had a letter published entitled, “The Case for Studying Literature at Brown”.
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Much like today, the elite society of Japan's Heian era (794–1185 CE) was saturated with dimly glowing screens. In their case, the screens were standing folding screens (byōbu) sumptuously decorated with painted illustrations and calligraphed poetry.
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Comparative Literature graduating senior, Benjamin Connor, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to France for 2022-2023.
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