Title: Comparing “West” and “Rest”: Beyond Eurocentrism?

Abstract: From different perspectives, Shu-mei Shih, Rey Chow, and Revathi Krishnaswamy have accused Comparative Literature of being inherently Eurocentric in that the comparative study of non-European/Western literatures continues being steered by European/Western paradigms. In what follows I briefly outline their respective positions, and argue that over the past few decades at least some attempts have been made to move beyond Eurocentrism.

Keywords: comparative literature, Eurocentrism, East-West relations, world literature

Author: Theo D’haen, Professor Emeritus, English Literature Department, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.

Translated by Meiling Xiao