In much of its history from the 19th century to the last decade of the 20th, comparative literature remains largely Euro-centered, and the rise of world literature today offers an opportunity to transcend Eurocentrism and introduce many of the yet unknown canonical works from non-Western and “minor” European literature to a global readership. We need a world literary map to show what the world looks like in terms of literary traditions and their important works, and therefore a world history of literature is the necessary first step towards a better understanding of what is world literature.
For friends who might have missed this lecture by Dr. Longxi Zhang, here is the webcast.