Abstract:

Fredric Jameson’s metaphor of a“Foreign Affairs Office of Literature”critiques the inherent nationalism within comparative literature studies in the U.S.. The Twenty-first-century American comparative literature exhibits three dominant trends: a renewed focus on “world literature,” area studies, and interdisciplinary approaches.“World literature” represents an attempt to reclaim “literariness” while navigating the tension between literary criticism and cultural studies, incorporating aesthetic considerations within broader political analyses. Area studies, predominantly focused on the literatures of the Global South, frequently adopt postcolonial perspectives that foreground the“other,”often resulting in increasingly politicized scholarship within the polarized U. S. academic context. Interdisciplinary approaches emphasize comparative literature’s potential contributions to other fields. This disciplinary marginalization is exacerbated by a neoliberal ideology and the increasing corporatization of higher education in the U. S.. Jameson’s metaphor addresses a distinct“American question”within the domain of comparative literature studies, highlighting the significance of active participation in global intellectual exchanges to counter the imperialistic tendencies of academic dominance.

Key words: world literature, area studies, American question, Foreign Affairs Office of Literature