CLS 213 - Books Without Borders: Travel Literature

Course unit(s): 1
Meets GAR (students beginning prior to Fall 2024): Meets general academic requirements HU and DE.
 

In this course we will explore travel literature from ancient times to the present day, between oceans, continents, and borders. We will study to what extent the historical context determines the characteristics of the itinerary, paying special attention to the purpose of travel and the traveler’s objectives, as these determine the way we perceive the “unknown,” and the strategies chosen to represent it. We will also explore the influence travel literature has had on the spread of wars, the evolution of imperialism, the development of international trade, the emergence of national identities, the necessity for human rights, the cultivation of an environmental consciousness, and globalization. Throughout the course we will inquire why travel writing has fascinated humankind since the beginning of literature itself, and we will understand why there is an explosion of books, articles, guides, documentaries and blogs surrounding travel in a world we thought we already knew. This course also counts toward the English major, and satisfies Departmental “Social Justice” and “Prose” requirements.