What is World Literature and how does social change affect definitions and understanding of literature from Africa, the Middle East and South Asia? This course critically investigates diverse fiction from a global perspective with a particular focus on social change. We will explore topics such as nationalism, colonialism, postcolonialism, transnationalism, feminism, globalization, human rights and other aspects of local and international politics and history in three specific regions of the world to better understand the theoretical and affective intersections between history and literature. Through the comparative examination of texts from diverse countries, we will identify common themes while assessing issues of race, language, nation, ethnicity, religion, economics, sexuality, and gender roles. We will also examine identity formation and how the term world literature complicates our comprehension of the selected literary works.