Digital Archives in the Wired World Literature Classroom in the US

Digitized archival materials open up exciting possibilities for teaching and learning in the undergraduate world literature classroom. Generally, undergraduates are not introduced to archival analysis until their junior or senior years, if at all. However, current research suggests that students can benefit greatly from even preliminary exposure to archives early in their undergraduate careers, by means of short-term, small-scale archival research tasks. This essay draws on case studies from the author’s introductory world literature classes to demonstrate how digital archives enable students to tap into the rich history of English-language world literature as intimately tied to legacies and contexts of imperialism. It concludes with strategies and considerations to assist educators interested in incorporating digital archives into the undergraduate world literature classroom.