Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular semester. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the Student Link for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

• CAS XL 387: The Holocaust Through Film
  An examination of film using the Holocaust as its central topic. What are the political and cultural effects when genocide is represented through film? Can feature films portray history, and if so, what are the consequences for an informed society? Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Writing- Intensive Course.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Historical Consciousness
  • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS XL 396: World Cities: Berlin
  This course explores Berlin's urban imaginary, investigating cinematic, written and visual texts, architecture and urban planning to witness the complex, exciting, and sometimes tragic history of Berlin and to understand how people make sense of cities in general. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Historical Consciousness, Research and Information Literacy.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Historical Consciousness
  • Digital/Multimedia Expression
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS XL 397: World Cities: Istanbul
  An examination of Istanbul in the global imaginary as it transformed from the Capital of the Ottoman Empire to the cultural capital of the Republic of Turkey through critical analysis of visual and literary texts. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Historical Consciousness, Research and Information Literacy.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Historical Consciousness
  • Digital/Multimedia Expression
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS XL 398: World Cities: Tokyo
  Explores the past and present of the vibrant city of Tokyo through literature and visual culture. Includes hand-on experiences mapping literary spaces. Reading and discussion in English. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Historical Consciousness, Research and Information Literacy.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Historical Consciousness
  • Digital/Multimedia Expression
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS XL 420: Queer Theory
  Surveys major texts and arguments in queer theory from Butler's Gender Trouble to contemporary discussions of cisnormativity, homonationalism, affect, pinkwashing, crip theory, and queer-of-color critique. Explores different uses of queer theory in legal debates, literary analysis, and cultural criticism. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Critical Thinking.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings
  • The Individual in Community
  • Critical Thinking
• CAS XL 441: 1001 Nights in the World Literary Imagination
  What is The Thousand and One Nights? How has this ever-expanding collection appealed to its diverse audiences? Focus on Nights' structure and themes, notable translations and offshoots in western literature and art, and later appropriations by Arab and Muslim writers. Also offered as CAS LY 441. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Writing-Intensive Course.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Aesthetic Exploration
  • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS XL 470: Topics in Comparative Literature
  May be repeated for credit if topic is different.
• CAS XL 479: WLL Senior Seminar
  Through discussions of intercultural reading and translation, bibliographic assignments, student presentations, workshops, and work with a faculty language mentor, seniors majoring in WLL use this course to develop their final project: a substantial scholarly paper, translation, or creative work in a foreign language. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS XL 491: Directed Study: Comparative Literature
  Application form available in department.
• CAS XL 500: History and Theory of Translation
  The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the history of translation and the main trends in Translation Studies. Students will learn to apply concepts acquired in class to analyze and critique translations and develop their own strategies. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Aesthetic Exploration
  • Historical Consciousness
  • Critical Thinking
• CAS XL 530: Marxist Cultural Criticism
  An introduction to Marxist cultural criticism that examines the transformation of concepts in classic Marxism (Marx, Lukacs, Althusser, Adorno, and Gramsci) into contemporary debates about race, gender, sexuality, colonialism, modernity, and language (Said, Zizek, Spivak, and others). Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings, Critical Thinking.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings
  • The Individual in Community
  • Critical Thinking
• CAS XL 540: Translation Seminar
  Translation seminar where students produce substantial literary translations into English from their language of choice with the guidance of the instructor and language-specific mentors. Students hone their translation skills, read, and discuss articles about practical issues of translation.
• CAS XL 550: Topics in Literary Criticism
  Topics vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit if topic changes.
• CAS XL 560: Topics in Religion and Literature
  Topics vary. May be repeated for credit if topic is different.

Back to full list of College of Arts & Sciences