At the center of our program are seminars led by prominent scholars of world literature, giving participants the opportunity to explore and discuss primary texts of world literature within the framework of theoretical and critical readings. Each seminar meets four afternoons per week for two weeks; participants take one seminar in the first half of the session and another seminar during the second half, allowing everyone to experience different approaches and to explore different themes over the course of the month. The goal of the seminars is to equip participants with the theories and methods of scholarly work in the field, as well as to provide valuable material for teaching surveys or advanced courses in world literature.
In their application to the Institute, participants are asked to rank their preferred seminars for each two-week sub-session (all participants are expected to attend the Institute for the full four weeks). On the basis of their application materials and preferences, the Institute will then place participants in seminars, maintaining a maximum of twenty participants per seminar. In this intensive context of discussion and debate, participants will be able to form real intellectual bonds with one another as well as with the session’s faculty. Seminar placements will be announced in April.
The assigned readings (averaging around 50 pages per day) will be made available to each seminar’s participants in electronic format via our Dropbox account in early April; the readings will also be distributed in hard copy at registration on the opening day.
Please note that we are trying to give our participants at least one of their two-top rated seminar preferences. ALL participants will receive a hard copy of the course packs for the two seminars they are enrolled in upon registration.