Project coordinator: Jeanne E. Glesener
University of Luxembourg
Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences
CAMPUS BELVAL
Maison des Sciences humaines
11, Porte des Sciences
L- 4366 Esch-Belval
T : + 352 46 66 44 9628
Jeanne.glesener@uni.lu / www.uni.lu
Research on small and minority literatures is gradually gaining momentum both in national literature studies and in comparative research. The recent scientific interest in this type of literatures is kindled by innovative socioliterary investigations as well as by new approaches in systemic world literature studies. What has been less explored - and where this project aims to make amends – is the historical development of small and minority literature in Europe in a comparative perspective. One of the main objectives of the volume therefore is to provide an overview of the historical development and the overall specificities of small and minority literatures. This implies developing a specific methodology, designing a typology and formulating key questions as well as engaging in the discussion, revision and crafting of concepts and notions for assessing the specific field of small and minority literatures. Another ambition of this project is to study these literatures in their own right and not as phenomena occurring on the periphery of major literatures only. On the theoretical level therefore, the project engages in the discussion of models of comparative literary historiography by moving beyond a peripheral towards an alternative model of literary history of small and minority literatures.