News & Events

News

November 24, 2024

Bella Chavez wins Pickering Award

Bella Chavez is a recent graduate ... from the University of California, Berkeley where she double majored in Comparative Literature and Latin American Languages & Cultures. She is a recipient of the competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. During her undergraduate career, she studied abroad in Brazil, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. She also volunteered in Medellin, Colombia where she completed her education minor practicum. She is currently interning with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence through a Virtual Student Federal Service program.

The Borderlands of Culture

"The Borderlands of Culture in Election-Urgency: Charla/Conversation with Ramón Saldívar (Stanford University)"--Responses from Ivonne del Valle (UC Berkeley) and Alejandra Decker (UC Berkeley), followed by discussion with the audience

Monday, October 26, 5-7 pm Webinar (webcast hosted by the University of California, Berkeley)

Co-Sponsors: Department of Spanish & Portuguese; Department of Comparative Literature

Comp Lit Undergrad Kayla Cohen and her new book

Third year Comparative Literature ... student at Cal Kayla Cohen is studying English, Hebrew, Arabic literatures. Drawing from her travels and the interviews that she conducted with Jewish Diaspora leaders in 2017 and 2018, her new book (titled "The Full Severity of Our Connection") carefully examines the Jewish people’s links to the non-Jewish world and how these links have impacted different conceptions of Jewishness.

Comp Lit Undergrad Alumni event ...

was a great success!

On Commemoration of Juneteenth

Juneteenth marks the end of slavery... and we are asked to look back upon that horrific institution that debased, exploited, and dispensed with black life. Some will say that slavery came to an end and take this chance to congratulate the United States for its emergence from slavery. But what of slavery still remains? We can point to contemporary slave labor in the US and elsewhere which, though illegal, still continues to afflict the lives of many migrants.

Graduate Applications

The department is now accepting ... graduate applications for 2021-2022. We welcome applicants with a diverse range of backgrounds and interests. Here is more information.

Welcome message from Niklaus

Dear students, staff, ... lecturers, and faculty colleagues,

It has been a strange summer. I hope that everyone has made the most of their extended time at home, and that it was at least a little productive and also somewhat restful in spite of all the challenges.

I would like to offer a remote, but very warm, welcome to our new graduate students, Cole Carvour, Landon Kramer, Madeleine Kresin, Tom Maude-Griffin, and Madeline Zimring.

Recent Publications by our Graduate Students

Here is a sample of the current ... work our graduate students are publishing. Congratulations to the authors!

Juneteenth

A note on Juneteenth from Acting ... Chair Judith Butler: Juneteenth marks the end of slavery and we are asked to look back upon that horrific institution that debased, exploited, and dispensed with black life. Some will say that slavery came to an end and take this chance to congratulate the United States for its emergence from slavery. But what of slavery still remains? We can point to contemporary slave labor in the US and elsewhere which, though illegal, still continues to afflict the lives of many migrants.

Erin Bennett wins 2019 Teaching Effectiveness Award

The Teaching Effectiveness Award ... was given to just sixteen Graduate Student Instructors across the campus. The recipients were honored at a ceremony in May, sponsored by the Graduate Council's Advisory Committee for GSI Affairs and the GSI Teaching and Resource Center. Congratulations, Erin!

2019-2020 Undergraduate Peer Representatives

From left to right, Bella Chavez, ... Alex Jimenez, Molly Kearnan, Luna Khalil, and Mackhai Nguyen. Visit the Peer Rep page for more information.

Koffee Klatch

Klatch noun: a social ... gathering, especially for coffee and conversation. This year's Comp Lit - French Koffee Klatch had a great turnout of over 40 students, staff and faculty. Everyone in the Comp Lit/French community enjoyed bagels, coffee, arts & crafts and stimulating conversation!

Reading and Composition Essay Prize Winners Announced!

Congratulations to our R&C... Essay Prize Winners!

Winner of the Reading and Composition Essay Prize in the Research category: Emily Ma, "How to Get Away with Murder: Impunity in The Act of Killing and The Saga of Hrafnkel Frey’s Godi."

R&C Instructor: Trinh Luu

Comp Lit SURF Fellows, 2019-2020

Comp Lit Undergrads Iris Morrell ... Skylar Clark, and Giancarlo Tucci-Berube have all won the SURF Fellowship (Summer Undergrad Research Fellowship); more information about Iris's project is listed here, with details to follow about Skylar's and Giancarlo's projects. Congratulations Iris, Skylar, and Giancarlo!

Congratulations Graduates!

Although we are not able to ... celebrate in person, we hope you will join us in congratulating a phenomenal group of new graduates!

Department of Comparative Literature 2020 Commencement Program

Below is a congratulatory video from Chair Sophie Volpp.

November 7, 2024

Exploring Mysticism, Aesthetics, and Experience: An Interview with Professor Niklaus Largier

Niklaus Largier is Chair in the department of Comparative Literature, is a professor in the departments of German and Comparative Literature, and is affiliated with the Programs in Medieval Studies, Religious Studies, and the Designated Emphasis in Critical Theory.

November 1, 2024

At the Crossroads of the Senses: The Synaesthetic Metaphor Across the Arts in European Modernism

Congratulations to Ph.D. Alum Polina Dimova (2010), who has just received tenure at the University of Denver. Her book, At the Crossroads of the Senses: The Synaesthetic Metaphor Across the Arts in European Modernism, will be published by Penn State UP in November.

October 13, 2024

Senior Muskaan Shah Presents at Harvard

Muskaan Shah, a senior majoring in Comparative Literature and Molecular and Cell Biology, was invited to present her paper, "The Impact of Cultural Identity in Irish and Indian Plays in the Post-Colonial Context" at the 43rd Annual Harvard Celtic Colloquium from 11th to 13th October 2024. She was one of only two undergraduates in attendance.

October 1, 2024

Comparative Literature 100 "Crossing Borders" class hosts Author Maya Arad

On October 1st, we had the immense pleasure of hosting renowned writer Maya Arad for an intimate conversation in the Comparative Literature 100 "Crossing Borders" class. The discussion centered her 2018 novel, The Hebrew Teacher, which was recently translated into English by the one and only Jessica Cohen. Our conversation explored matters of translation, hyphenated identities, and the role of literature in presenting history and politics as much more murky and complex than one might expect. It was a true pleasure.

October 27, 2023

Professor Mario Telò on bringing “antiquity” into steady dialogue with the "now"

Mario Telò is a Professor of Rhetoric, Ancient Greek & Roman Studies, and Comparative Literature; participating member in the Critical Theory DE.

To start us out, how did you first come to study classics and comp lit? And are there any interests you enjoy outside of academia that you see informing your studies?

News archive and events happening in the Department of Comparative Literature.