Globalization, propelled by advancements in media and communication technologies, intricately weaves our world together. This course delves into this complex interplay, examining case studies that span from sixteenth-century maps, illustrating early global understandings, to twenty-first-century supply chains, showcasing modern interconnectedness. We will explore diverse cinematic landscapes, from Hollywood and Bollywood to Nollywood and Huallywood productions, using a lens akin to Compared Literature to analyze narratives across cultures. This journey will grapple with fundamental questions of the modern era: How has humanity achieved unprecedented levels of global connection? How does this interdependence reshape our self-perception and understanding of others? What novel opportunities and liberties arise from this interconnectedness, and paradoxically, how does it exacerbate global inequalities?
By the semester’s end, students will acquire essential skills for dissecting media produced and consumed across national and linguistic boundaries. You will develop a robust familiarity with key analytical and historical frameworks, preparing you for advanced studies in both humanities and social sciences. Through creative and critical projects, you’ll apply and refine course concepts, fostering a deeper understanding of compared literature in a globalized context.
Ultimately, this course aims to cultivate new modes of thinking. In an age where words traverse continents as data packets via undersea cables and satellites, all media become inherently global. The pervasive nature of networked computation transforms almost every facet of our world into a medium of data. Throughout this course, we will challenge our preconceived notions of identity and location, gaining profound insights into how our individual lives are interwoven with those of others, across time and space, near and far, through the comparative study of global narratives – a form of compared literature for the digital age.
