Director: Andrew Milner
Comparative literature investigates literature in ways which go beyond particular national or linguistic boundaries. Comparative literary studies are of two main kinds: substantive studies of the literature of two or more languages or literary cultures; and generalising studies of the literary process itself, for example literary history or the sociology of literature. Particular research strengths include: European, Asian and Latin American literature; romanticism, modernism and postmodernism; literature and philosophy; and comparative literary theory. Postgraduate students are expected to read literary texts in the original language. Applications are encouraged from students with good linguistic abilities.
Cultural studies is the study of cultural texts, spaces and practices in
relation to their various social, historical and ideological contexts. It is a
field that has been at the cutting edge of research and debate in the
humanities over the past 20 years. There are two main variants of cultural
studies at Monash: the study of popular cultural text normally excluded from
the canons of high art and literature (for example popular fiction, popular
cinema and television); and the study of canonical art and literature in
relation to its social, historical and ideological context. Particular research
strengths include postcolonial culture, genre studies, graphic novels, New
Hollywood, Japanese popular culture, science fiction and cyberculture. Cultural
studies at Monash is both comparative and theoretical in approach. It seeks to
problematise the binary oppositions between high and low culture and to make
use of a broad range of theoretical perspectives.
Critical theory is a term which has come to signify a number of contemporary
approaches to textual and cultural criticism. These include: hermeneutics and
reception theory; Marxism, feminism and psychoanalysis; semiotics,
structuralism and post-structuralism; postcolonial, post-modern and
post-humanist theory. Such theories have been central to recent work in
literary and cultural studies, but also to such related fields as anthropology,
performance studies, philosophy and sociology. Critical theory at Monash has
particularly strong research interests in ecophilosophy and ecofeminism,
cultural materialism, deconstruction, feminist critical theory, hermeneutics
and psychoanalysis.
The Centre for Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies runs a regular
research seminar program, which has hosted a wide range of scholars from
Australia and overseas. Postgraduate candidates are expected to participate in
this seminar program.
See also the entries under `English' and `Visual culture'. Visit our website at
http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/cclcs/postgraduate/.
Candidates working in comparative literature, cultural studies or critical theory may take the degrees of PhD and Master of Arts by research only. The degrees of PhD and Master of Arts may also be taken by a combination of research and coursework in the discipline of critical theory. For further information, refer to the research masters degrees and Doctor of Philosophy entries in the Arts research section and http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/prospective/postgraduate/disciplines/.
The PhD by research only, MA by 100 per cent research, MA by 66 per cent research and coursework and Mqual with research component can be commenced mid-year.
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