Seminar : comparative literature [ LROM2755 ]

In addition to French, students are expected to know one or two European languages that will constitute the basis of their comparison. Knowledge of a third non-European language (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese etc.) is welcome and will contribute to the seminar dynamic.

Delineating the image of foreign literatures in different litterary journals of the Frenchspeaking part of Belgium during the break between the World wars.

Proficiency in bibliographical research, analysing of lots of articles, paper writing and concluding synthesis

Regular class attendance and participation, oral presentation and final paper.

The final evaluation will take into account the attention given to written and spoken French.

Students will be encouraged to become familiar with the main lines of research in comparative literature as to place their current and future research within this context. Students are expected to actively participate in discussions and to give an oral presentation in front of the class. Furthermore, students are required to write a paper in which they further develop the topic covered in their oral presentation. The presentation and the paper can also be complementary to their thesis work and other research activities.

The contemporary European and international novel will be the focus of the 2010-2011 course. Through the study of the themes, representations and writing techniques used in producing the contemporary novel, we will analyze the changes introduced by these novels within the western tradition of writing. We will endeavor to identify the paradigms which allow a description of the present state of the novel as it is produced and read today in Europe and worldwide.