This course is offered by the Department of Comparative Literature; World Literature takes the same approaches to compare and contrast international texts and cultures, but broadens the scope to include non-Western literary sources, such as Asian, African, Arabic and Latin American texts. You develop an understanding of historical and cross-cultural literary traditions and the ways in which they interact, while broadening your critical knowledge of literature and your appreciation of questions of translation and transmission. You also have the opportunity to explore concepts such as 'genre', 'theme', 'fictionality', 'literariness', 'canon', 'reception', and 'literary movement'. As a result of encountering writers and texts from all over the world, you gain a truly global perspective on literature and its cultural contexts. You also develop the skills of close reading and effective communication, and gain confidence and experience in expressing your ideas in written and in spoken language. These key transferable skills are essential tools for graduates as they move into the job market.