Overview of Course

What is a woman? This seemingly simple question is explored through world literature. We will be reading classic and modern literature by and about women in various time periods, cultural and political contexts. Lectures, discussions and short papers serve to focus our search for common themes across social, political, and personal issues. This course compliments our physical journey with a literary journey. As we disembark in different places throughout this voyage, our readings will allow us to better situate us and understand the lived experience of people, women in particular, in select places we visit. Reading is supposed to be fun, engaging and illuminating. Depending on the final voyage destinations, readings will be by authors from our ports of call such as Yaa Gyasi (Ghana), Tahar Ben Jelloun (Morocco), J.M. Coetzee (South Africa), Min Jin Lee (South Korea, Japan), Jhumpa Lahiri (India) etc.