Welcome to the Literature Department
The study of literature at UCSC is organized as an interdisciplinary field coordinated through a single Department of Literature, including modern and ancient literatures in the original language and in translation, literary theory, and creative writing. This structure fosters innovative and comparative approaches to literature among both faculty and students.
Statement of Values
We, the members of the Literature Department at UCSC, are committed to the values of mutual respect, equality, and integrity among ourselves and with students. We seek to maintain an inclusive, intellectually robust and culturally diverse community and to foster equity based on sexuality, race, gender, ethnicity, economic status, citizenship, belief and ability.
We pledge to hold ourselves responsible for promoting and upholding these values in classrooms, meetings, and all our professional and social interactions. Further, we pledge to make every effort to end racism at UC and in our communities; to care for the vulnerable among us; and to help make our university and our world places to flourish.
Antiracist Resources for Education:
Antiracist teaching resources, compiled by the Modern Language Association (MLA)
BLM Resources for Support and Education, compiled by a Literature undergraduate student
Faculty
Our faculty’s research spans literatures, languages, and cultures from the ancient to the contemporary, engaging creative and critical approaches across media, genres, and geographies. With strengths in comparative, transnational, and interdisciplinary work, the department fosters scholarship that bridges traditions, challenges boundaries, and sparks new conversations.
Literature & Creative Writing
Interested in Literature? Watch a short introduction to our undergraduate program!
News
Preserving the Amazon: A digital lifeline for the Biblioteca Amazónica
Three years ago, a fire broke out at the Biblioteca Amazónica in Iquitos, Peru, imperiling one of the world’s most important collections of primary sources on Amazonian history, culture, and politics. For Amanda M. Smith, Associate Professor of Latin American Literature, the disaster highlighted the urgency of the project she had already begun: digitizing the archive’s collections to preserve them, at least in electronic format, for the future.
This spooky season, join UC Santa Cruz experts in exploring what scares us and why
As Halloween approaches, UC Santa Cruz faculty are undertaking scholarly investigations of zombies, digging up cultural histories of vampires, and delving deeply into the metaphysics of creepiness.
A quarter century of new perspectives: The Humanities Institute turns 25
The Humanities Institute has an outsized impact on UC Santa Cruz and the wider world with its strong focus on research excellence, student success, and public engagement.
Public Events
Visit the UCSC events calendar for a list of all upcoming events
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