Writing and the Ruins of Empire

An exploration of literary representations of "empire" and "imperialism" from the 18th century to the present. Readings in Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire , Volney's Ruins of Empire , and a wide range of 19th- and 20th-century texts. Some consideration of theories of imperialism and of visual representations of cultures of empire. Enrollment limited to 20. Prior coursework in 18th- and 19th-century literature advised.