Course summary

Comparative literature is the study of literature across cultural and national frontiers, time periods, languages and genres, even across the boundaries between literature and the other arts. The 20th century witnessed dramatic changes in the fortunes of the countries of Central & Eastern Europe. War, revolution and widespread social & economic change resulted in a tumultuous period in the history of the region. The collapse of communism unleashed a process of profound social change that continues today in the rise of populism in Central and South-East Europe, the Russo-Ukrainian war and instability in the Caucasus & Central Asia. From the Baltic to the Balkans and from Berlin to Vladivostok, we chart the key issues in this crucial area. Why study this course at the University of Glasgow? You can study Comparative Literature alongside a whole range of other subjects and you may want to consider studying it with a foreign language to further expand your horizons. You will gain valuable insights into issues of global importance. Recent events, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war – the largest conflict in Europe since the Second World War – have underscored the necessity of understanding the region not just for regional security, but also for wider European and global security. For over 75 years, Central & East European Studies at the University of Glasgow has been at the forefront of theoretically-informed, methodologically-rigorous, and practically-relevant research relating to the countries of the Baltic States, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central & Eastern Europe, Russia and Eurasia. The University hosts the Centre for Russian, Central & East European Studies which is a national hub for scholars studying the region. It is home to the prestigious Europe-Asia Studies journal and the University’s Russian and East European library has a large and well-established collection. It is not compulsory but you may wish to study one of the following languages: Czech, Polish, Russian, or Ukrainian. Career Prospects? Our graduates have gone on to pursue rewarding careers in the media, teaching, journalism, tourism, translating and interpreting, and the Civil Service, as well as business, commerce and marketing. Graduates have developed careers in the European Commission, the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, the Scottish Government, UK Department for Business & Trade, government ministries across Europe, government embassies, international development & non-governmental organisations, journalism, education, cultural industries, banks and the business community. The eastward enlargement of the EU and NATO, as well as ongoing developments in Russia, Ukraine, the other former Soviet states and the Balkans, mean there is a high demand for specialists in the field.