Dr. Karen Smith, associate professor of English at Clarion University, will present "What Good is World Literature? Perspectives on the Ethics of Reading Across Cultures," Nov. 6 at 12:15 p.m. in room 217 of Founders Hall.

            Her presentation, part of the Brown Bag Seminar Series, is free and open to all. Light refreshments will be served.

            Since world literature survey courses first appeared in U.S. colleges in the 1930s, and especially during moments of global conflict such as World War II or the 9/11 attacks, questions such as, "Can reading the imaginative literature of other cultures make the world a better place? and Can it help us to know, sympathize with, and work together with those who are foreign to us?" have driven discussions of how and why world literature should be taught.

            Smith's talk will consider what scholars, teachers, and writers have had to say about the value of world literature during periods of international crisis, and what the future holds for this changing field of study in an era of globalization.   
            This informal talk is the second in Clarion University's Brown Bag series, a part of an on-going initiative to promote faculty research and foster inter-disciplinary collaboration and discussion in an informal setting. The series is supported by Partners in Teaching, Learning and Assessment.
             Future Brown Bag talks are:  Dave Hartley, Nov. 20; and in 2010 - Susan Prezzano, Jan. 29; Gustavo Barboza, Feb. 19; and Ken Staub, March 19.
            Clarion University is the high-achieving, nationally recognized, comprehensive university that delivers a personal and challenging academic experience.