Comparative Literature in Taiwan in the Age of World Literature

Comparative literature in Taiwan flourished in the 1970s, focusing on the comparison of classical Chinese and Western literary classics. In the 1990s, this focus shifted to theory-based research centered on local sociopolitical issues. The literariness of actual comparisons and appreciation of literary works suffered as a result of this shift. The high level of specialization in the present academic system hinders interdisciplinary research, and, in this vein, translation studies has come to question the value of comparative literature. The resurgence of world literature has opened up new possibilities and repivoted attention back toward literariness and translation of texts away from the focus on contentious ideological issues. From the perspective of a Sinosphere with multiple literary centers, comparatists in Taiwan have an opportunity to leverage their diverse and rich cultural resources for the fostering of literary dialogues. Such discourse can connect literary works worldwide, and in the process revive the momentum of a discipline that promotes cross-cultural understanding and profound appreciation for the diversity of human civilizations.