World Cultures & Literatures
About the the WCL Minor
General Description
World Cultures and Literatures is an interdisciplinary, comparative cultural studies oriented program housed in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages. We offer courses on diverse aspects of world cultures with a strong emphasis on modernity and reactions to modernization, trans-national processes in the age of globalization, gender studies, urbanism, postmodernity, colonialism and post-colonialism, migration, exile, and diaspora. WCL courses provide unique windows on aspects of international development through courses in world or area literary and cultural studies. A particular focus of our program is global cinema studies with courses on national cinemas (Chinese, Italian, German, French, etc.) and a wide range of topics such as gender and sexuality in world film, cities in film, fascism in German cinema, or francophone African film. Many of our courses satisfy Humanities, Visual and Performing Arts, or Writing in the Disciplines core curriculum requirements.
Our mission is
- To foster understanding and communication through the study of world languages, literatures, and cultures in translation as well as in original languages.
- To contribute to a comparative and critical understanding of local, regional, national and international cultural trends and conflicts in the age of globalization and transnationalism.
The WCL minor:
The minor provides structured alternatives or coherent, rigorous, custom-tailored curriculum clusters drawn from an inventory of courses available in MCL and other campus units including disciplines such as philosophy, history, art history, and the social sciences as well as other relevant fields. Academic concentrations are tailored to the career interests, aspirations, and needs of students. Possible configurations include:
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The minor enhances students’ preparation for international business, diplomatic and social service, journalism, communications, teaching, law etc., as well as for entrance into a wide variety of graduate programs. Student-centered programs, presentations, exhibitions, lecture series and conferences are essential parts of WCL.
For more information, please contact the WCL Undergraduate Director:
Marie-Theresa Hernández
- Email Dr. Hernández »
- Office: 610 AH
- Phone: (713)743-3074