comparative literature

American  

noun

1. the study of the literatures of two or more groups differing in cultural background and, usually, in language, concentrating on their relationships to and influences upon each other.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

comparative literature

A comparative literature professor at Stanford University, his forthcoming book, “What Tech Calls Governing,” examines the increasingly authoritarian politics of Silicon Valley.

From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026

When I graduated from UC–Berkeley with my “useless” comparative literature degree, into one of the bleakest job markets in recent American memory, I thought to myself, There must be a loophole somewhere.

From Slate ● Mar. 20, 2026

In the humanities division, the cutbacks mean the school is pausing Ph.D. admissions for a year in disciplines like comparative literature, Germanic studies and art history.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025

And I know all too well that L.A. men aren’t interested in my pursuit of a PhD in comparative literature, which might even be intimidating.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2024

Original ed. issued in series: Columbia University studies in English and comparative literature.

From Early Theories of Translation by Flora Ross Amos