NEW COURSE
SLAVIC 279 – Theory in the Shadow of History: Literature and Culture in the Writings of Polish Thinkers
Semester: Fall
Offered: 2025
Instructor: Aleksandra Kremer
Meeting Time: T 9:45am – 11:45am
What texts belong to the canon of literary theory? What can we learn from reflection on language and culture developed in East Central Europe? What was the influence of World War II, Holocaust, and Communism on the local knowledge production? In this seminar we will discuss postwar Poland’s theory and criticism, paying special attention to the broader cultural, political, and biographical contexts. We will also read several texts by Polish-born authors who became well-known in the West, and ask if their works could be read as Polish theory. Our readings will include Bauman, Ingarden, Janion, Kott, Miłosz, Tokarczuk, and many others.
Course Notes: All readings in English.
For more details please visit the Harvard Course Catalog.