Emerging Trends and Future Directions in Comparative Literature

Comparative Literature has always been known as a field, which is basedupon a conversation- a conversation between texts and traditions, culturesand civilizations, languages and forms of literature. Since its initialEurocentric roots, and its current world-wide and interdisciplinary focus, thediscipline has been redefining itself through historical transformation andintellectual questioning. Comparative Literature in the modern world ofscholarship finds itself at a critical crossroad as a result of globalization,digitalization, environmental disasters, shifting conceptions of identity, andthe growing need to reclaim disempowering voices.The book is a compilation of peer reviewed and highly rigorous chapters byscholars, researchers, and academicians with a wide range of cultures,geographical backgrounds, and institutions. With both classical approachesto comparative methods and new theoretical fashions, each chapterrepresents a long-term commitment. In general, the volume addressesnumerous themes, such as folklore and oral traditions, gender and feministstudies, ecocriticism, posthumanism, indigenous narratives, globalization,cultural hybridity, digital humanities, and pedagogical innovation. All thesediverse views highlight the fact that the field of study has broadeninghorizons and it can provide a meaningful answer to modern global issues.The primary objective of this book is to show how Comparative Literaturehas shifted in modern times to go beyond a textual comparison and adoptinterdisciplinary and intercultural paradigms. The contributors also appeal toliterature and history, philosophy, ecology, technology, education andcultural studies therefore making the relevance of the discipline in the fastchanging world a reality. The chapters show that literary texts are places ofcultural negotiation, resistance, and change, provide an understanding ofcommon human experiences, and stand in awe of local differences.The other important characteristic of this collection is its concern about thefuture of studies of literature. Multiple chapters explore the influence ofdigital humanities, cyber narratives, and educational technologies onresearch and pedagogy indicating new forms of knowledge production anddistribution. Meanwhile, the edited book is still based on the ethical andhumanistic issues, discussing the problems of the social justice,environmental responsibility, gender equality and cultural sustainability.The edited book is planned to be a useful academic tool to scholars, teachers,researchers, and postgraduate students of Comparative Literature and otherrelated fields. It aims at recording not only new tendencies but also makingus think critically about what should the research of comparative literarystudies take in the future. We would like the book to stimulate moreresearch, discussions, and imaginations, restating the idea of ComparativeLiterature as a dynamic, universal and progressive question.