Modern Languages and Literatures
Study in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures aims to deepen the understanding of other languages and cultures and is characterized by its immersive approach. Students may major or minor in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. An innovative curriculum of introductory courses in American Sign Language (ASL) is also offered.
Chart a new path
Learn how MLL students are using the department's interdisciplinary and cross-cultural focus to plot courses of study that speak to their interests and career goals.
The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures celebrates an exceptional class of 2023-24 majors and minors across eight languages, seen here with Professor of Italian Simone Dubrovic and Associate Professor of Russian James McGavran. Learn how students are crafting their MLL major.
Featured Courses
Latin American Cinema
In this upper-level Spanish course, encounter the revolutionary forms and challenging methods and styles of Latin American cinema. Students will study a significant and provocative selection of films which reflect the long and complex history of cultural production in the region.
Manga, Anime and Beyond
Explore the visual culture of Japan, covering not only manga, anime and contemporary films, but also tracing back to premodern times, examining illustrated handscrolls, picture books and various forms of performing arts. The course is conducted in English with no prior knowledge of Japanese language required.
Masterpieces of 19th-century Russian Literature
Study the classics of Russian literature in translation — from Pushkin and Dostoevsky to Tolstoy and Chekhov — with an emphasis on close readings and analysis of individual texts. We’ll also learn about the development of realist aesthetics and the special role played by literature in Russian, Soviet and post-Soviet society.
Challenging Borders: Nation, Migration and Identity in Germany
Taking the concept of borders and border crossing as a central theme, this upper-level German course considers how German-speaking countries have long been nodes of cultural transit and migratory exchange. We examine the topic from a variety of perspectives, studying the history, politics, rhetoric and culture of immigration in Germany.
Student Spotlight: Hayden Toftner '22
Toftner is the most recent recipient of the Gutekunst Translation Prize, awarded by the Goethe Institute New York, for his translation of an excerpt from the novel "Betrachtungen einer Barbarin" by Asal Dardan.
Award-Winning Translation
A translation of Venezuelan poet Juan Calzadilla's "Roof of the Whale Poems" by Professor of Spanish Katherine Hedeen and with Olivia Lott '15 has received the Wisconsin Poetry Series' Inaugural Translation Prize. The prize includes $1500 and the publication of the book in fall 2023.
Ascension Hall
Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio 43022