Too often in graduate classes, we students take classes exclusively on theory, or we are blindly given theoretical readings that correspond to our texts. As a new masters student, this approach can be rather overwhelming. When theory is treated as a subject independent of literature, it is difficult to see the connections that exist between disciplines, and it can seem impossible to apply it appropriately when asked. This class has so clearly bridged the gap between critical theory and literature/cinema, and I look forward to applying transnational theory to my personal research on French theater in the future. French identity was troubled after WWII and continues to be troubled today in the era of postcolonialism, due to surges in immigration and emigration, as well as Europe becoming more “global” as a whole. Transnational theory is increasingly relevant in my studies—while Europe may see itself as borderless, France’s anti-immigrant stance has created a myriad of issues both nationally and internationally. I see theater as a hybrid genre—reading the text and experiencing the presentation become two vastly different practices. When performing a play, the audience becomes part of the experience, and true interaction occurs between the actor and the viewer. To me, transnationalism becomes evident when plays address post-WWII issues, especially when reflecting on recovering, remembering, and reconstructing Jewish identity. This course gives a name to a concept and will allow me to address my research in a more holistic manner.

In the beginning, I was mostly unfamiliar with our readings. I must admit, Teju Cole’s Open City has been in my Amazon shopping cart for months, and I was very excited to read it, especially in an academic setting, but what honestly moved me most was Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis. I feel strange, having written so much about it, yet not producing a long research paper on the novel. Perhaps I was predisposed to like this work since it was originally written in French, but mostly I enjoyed reading it so much because it was completely different from anything I had ever read before. The concept of the graphic novel was foreign to me, and I appreciate the clear voice Satrapi gives to her problematic. This novel reminded me that non-traditional works (referencing the graphic novel as opposed to classical literature) merit study in an academic context and can offer interdisciplinary approaches that expand our viewpoint towards “what is literature”.

I feel that this idea of interdisciplinarity corresponds with the articles we read concerning how to apply theory in the classroom, or even more generally, the structure of academic departments themselves. Gayatri Spivak’s Death of a Discipline comes readily to mind. I had not read this article, yet the argument sounded vaguely familiar. With the 1990s overhaul in academia, many programs were reorganized. French departments are behind in this regard, tending to lump everything into “centuries”, with Francophone texts on the side in their own category. Spivak’s article comments on transnationalism at play in creating these academic departments—comparative literature, area studies, ethnic studies…the names seem to modify indefinitely. “Whatever our view of what we do,” she writes, “we are made by the forces of people moving about the world” (Crossing Borders, 3).  This movement, however, creates issues when attempting to neatly categorize we humans and our literary contributions. “What I am proposing is not a politicization of the discipline,” she continues. “We are in politics. I am proposing an attempt to depoliticize in order to move away from a politics of hostility, fear, and half solutions” (Crossing Borders, 4). Spivak’s theory is directly applicable to our lives as academics and impacts how we study and categorize our fields.

Spivak’s text brings literature to life, as does Satrapi’s Persepolis. We can easily quote the modernist Ezra Pound when he wrote, “literature does not exist in a vacuum”, but more often than not, the quote is taken out of context, much like most other famous literary citations (ex. Sartre’s “Hell is other people”). In reading Pound’s quote to refer to the societal obligation of authors, it is fascinating to work though transnational readings of texts in order to conceptualize their impact on readers. This entire class has expanded my knowledge of literary impact and social movements. My two interdisciplinary courses (the other being Cinema of Empire) at UMD have strengthened my French research by helping me include a larger scope and a more universal approach to my studies. Transnational activities are all around us—as emerging scholars, it is up to us to continue exploring and developing this movement as civilization evolves throughout the world.