Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2026 - WL 201 D100

East/West Encounters (3)

Class Number: 6177

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 6, 2026: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Explores the relationship between Eastern and Western narratives. The focus may include the mutual influence of Eastern and Western cultural traditions and modernities, the construction of the 'East' in the West and of the 'West' in the East, theories of Orientalism and Occidentalism, and forms of East/West syncretism. This course may be repeated once for credit when different topics are offered.

COURSE DETAILS:

East/West Encounters: The Trouble with Binaries and Creating the World

PROFESSOR/INSTRUCTOR:  Dr. Maral Aguilera-Moradipour

EMAIL:  maguiler@sfu.ca

OFFICE HOUR:  By appointment



COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Writers and readers from the cultures and lands broadly called East and West have historically been curious about one another and have drawn on one another’s philosophical, scientific, and cultural traditions to explore fundamental questions about life and the world. These curiosities, conversations, and exchanges press on into the present day. How do we categorize literature as Eastern or Western and how has literature contributed to understanding the world through an East/West dichotomy? To answer this question critically, we will draw on Edward Said’s articulation of orientalism as a Western cultural and scholarly imperialist project of creating the Orient as the Occident’s foil. We will further nuance our analysis by turning to Pheng Cheah’s conceptualization of world literature’s role in the cultural landscape as an “ongoing force…in the creation of the world”—how can literature help us imagine a world beyond domination? From a German author’s “Indian novel” of spiritual enlightenment, to a Princeton-alumnus’ critiques of American Empire in Lahore, to a girlchild’s grappling with Western philosophy and pop culture in the midst of the Iranian revolution, to a mixed-ancestry Caribbean reflection on race and belonging, Said and Cheah will guide our exploration of the question through literature that brings together different geographical, cultural, and philosophical notions of East and West as it troubles the binary.

Grading

  • Participation 15%
  • Pop Quix x 2 10%
  • In - Class Close Reading I 20%
  • In - Class Close Reading II 20%
  • Final Exam 35%

NOTES:

No prerequisites. Breadth-Humanities

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

  • Hermann Hesse. Siddhartha.
  • Mohsin Hamid. The Reluctant Fundamentalist.
  • Marjane Satrapi. Persepolis.
  • Tessa McWatt. Shame on Me.
  • Additional material will be made available by the instructor.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.