Among the countless reasons which pulled me towards CompLit, perhaps the most significant one has been my stern belief in the philosophical weight of literature, in poetry/poetics as a mode of thought. In this regard, the emphasis on theory and continental philosophy in CompLit inspired me greatly and made me feel at home in the discipline. Moreover, the chance to work across languages and the freedom with which one discovers upon developing a muscle for synthesis and adopting the comparative approach is unlike any other joy I have experienced in academic work.

I love comp lit because of how the field combines world literature and the practice of reading widely across geographies and cultures with the study of social and literary theory. At Harvard specifically, the department is so tight-knit and supportive, and hosts the most incredible teachers and interesting classes.