Who’s on the Syllabus?

Abstract

Abstract This article examines changes in the teaching of modern and contemporary literature in the United States. As university students become more socioeconomically and ethnically diverse, and as universities claim to be offering a more global curriculum, what are students really learning? What kinds of non-Western modern and contemporary writers find their way into the classroom? To answer these questions, we examine how much The Norton Anthology of World Literature, The Longman Anthology of World Literature, and The Bedford Anthology of World Literature have changed over time with respect to their content and presentation. We then use a unique database of course syllabi to analyze the extent to which the non-Western authors included in these anthologies find their way more broadly into university classrooms. Getting included in anthologies, texts, and course syllabi is extremely powerful. It determines the parameters of the pedagogical canon – a shared common ground that generations of students will learn and continue to reference collectively throughout their lifetimes.