Writers, scholars gather for Comparative Literature Congress

The 19th Congress of the International Comparative Literature Association started its seven-day run at Chung-Ang University in Heukseok-dong, Seoul, on Sunday. 

Organized by International Comparative Literature Association and Korea Comparative Literature Association and hosted by the Korean Organizing Committee of ICLA 2010, the triennial ICLA is known as the Olympics of literature. 

Following the 13th Congress held in Tokyo and the 17th Congress held in Hong Kong, this is the third ICLA Congress to be held in Asia. 

This year’s ICLA brings together over 1,000 academics and writers from more than 65 different countries to exchange literary studies, creative writing, and teaching ideas under the theme “Expanding the Frontiers of Comparative Literature.” 

“The Organizing Committee of the 2010 Congress of the ICLA anticipates that this event will not only awaken Korean literature and literary studies from its recent lethargy but will also have positive ramifications for humanities studies in general. This event will be truly a meaningful gathering of the great minds, coming together in Seoul to address and collectively search for a viable solution to the crisis in the humanities studies,” said Chung Chung-ho, chairperson of the Organizing Committee of the 19th Congress of ICLA.