PhD in Comparative Literature and Literary Theory in Philadelphia United States | University of Pennsylvania

The Comparative Literature and Literary Theory Program serves as a hub for examining literature through multiple academic lenses and exploring cultural history via representational works. This interdisciplinary initiative allows students to deeply engage with critical theory, both as a means of methodological reflection and as an analytical framework. Faculty members represent diverse fields including European, American, Middle Eastern, East Asian, and South Asian literatures, along with history, art history, religious studies, anthropology, folklore, political science, sociology, and communications. We offer a rigorous curriculum where graduate students can blend focused study of specific literary traditions with cross-cultural and interdisciplinary approaches. Student research encompasses philosophy's evolution, film and media analysis, science and technology history, and regional studies like Mediterranean cultures. Our scholars investigate all eras, from ancient and medieval times to contemporary postmodern works, spanning numerous linguistic traditions.