UMass Amherst Libraries Publish Latest Open Educational Resource: Writing the World 2023-2024

The University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries are pleased to announce the publication of Writing the World 2023-2024, the latest anthology from the UMass Comparative Literature Program. This Open Educational Resource (OER) showcases the analytical prowess and creative depth of undergraduate students as they explore pressing societal issues, literary traditions and theories, and cross-cultural themes. 

Writing the World 2023-2024 brings together essays from the academic year, marking a shift from previous calendar-year volumes to capture the evolving nature of undergraduate scholarship as it responds dynamically to contemporary issues. This year’s anthology includes critical analyses spanning medieval to modern literature, and a creative ekphrastic short story, enriching the reading experience with cross-genre and cross-regional perspectives. Comparative Literature’s expansive and generative capacities make a journal like this possible. Through topics as varied as Korean horror and Palestinian storytelling, contributors examine themes of connectivity, identity, and the assemblage of ideas across cultures.  

“We’re proud to present pieces that invite readers to engage deeply with scholarly and cultural questions,” say editors Aishwarya Marathe and Enrique Urbina of the Comparative Literature Program. “This year’s contributions reflect a collective dialogue that bridges academic theory with the immediate concerns and passions of our student body.” 

The volume was officially presented to the campus community on October 22, 2024, and is available as an open educational resource, promoting accessibility to a global audience. Writing the World 2023-2024 exemplifies the University Libraries’ commitment to supporting open education and amplifying student voices in scholarly and public discourse. 

For more information, please contact the editors at complitanthology@gmail.com.