Critical Theory & Practice

CWL 210. Erotica, Love, Romance: Literary and Cultural Representations. Explores interdisciplinary representations of eroticism, love, and romance across history and cultures, including diverse contemporary representations of love and sexuality.

CWL 265. Intro to Literary Theory. Introduction to the broad array of theoretical approaches to analyzing literature. Emphasis will be placed not only upon understanding how theory works, but also on theory selection and application.

CWL 361. Global Trends in Critical Theory. Study of literary criticism from Plato to the present, focusing on history of literary and cultural theory as well as methods of critical analysis applied to literary texts and other forms of cultural expression.

CWL 365. Cultural Studies: Histories, Theories, and Issues. Cultural studies in a global, comparative context, including theories of discursive practices and identity politics; examined through theoretical discourses about literature and the arts and also as an interpretive technique for cultural institutions, practices, and products.

CWL 461. Selected Topics: Contemporary Literary Criticism. In‑depth study of a particular critic or movement in contemporary literary theory.

CWL 480. Undergraduate Research Seminar. For CWL Majors. Preparation for research on a selected topic relevant to comparative literature in its multiple facets. The course is designed to provide upperclassmen with the opportunity to create and develop discipline-specific papers and projects under guided supervision.