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The lecture discusses historical as well as contemporary ideas about functions of literature. We begin with a survey of ideas about functions of literature generally (literature as a vehicle for timeless truths, as an archive of key societal themes across epochs, as an occasion to escape the dreariness of everyday life, as a form of learning about experiences we do not or cannot make ourselves, as a form of discourse that brings together the various disjointed discourses of functionally differentiated 'modern' societies - and more). For most of the semester, however, we will more specifically discuss functions of literature in present-day pluralist democracies. Here, literature can, for instance, function as a means of understanding contemporary debates, as a practical exercise in experiencing alterity and otherness, as a form of practicing perspective-taking, or as giving voice to those usually overheard or marginalized. Tying together these various functions, literature can even be seen as a crucial means of civic education for democratic pluralism. Here, discussions about uses of literature in school contexts will of course play a role. All materials will be supplied electronically.
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