Modern Languages and Literatures

In this upper-level Spanish course, encounter the revolutionary forms and challenging methods and styles of Latin American cinema. Students will study a significant and provocative selection of films which reflect the long and complex history of cultural production in the region.

Explore the visual culture of Japan, covering not only manga, anime and contemporary films, but also tracing back to premodern times, examining illustrated handscrolls, picture books and various forms of performing arts. The course is conducted in English with no prior knowledge of Japanese language required.

Study the classics of Russian literature in translation — from Pushkin and Dostoevsky to Tolstoy and Chekhov — with an emphasis on close readings and analysis of individual texts. We’ll also learn about the development of realist aesthetics and the special role played by literature in Russian, Soviet and post-Soviet society.

Taking the concept of borders and border crossing as a central theme, this upper-level German course considers how German-speaking countries have long been nodes of cultural transit and migratory exchange. We examine the topic from a variety of perspectives, studying the history, politics, rhetoric and culture of immigration in Germany.