Literature is not just a European phenomenon, it is a worldwide form of expression, which is closely linked to other cultural expressions, and as a result displays a staggering variety. This programme aims to answer some of the following questions: what makes a text literary? How best to approach a text? What techniques should be used in the process? Since Leiden University offers programmes in so many different languages and cultures (from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America), it is the ideal place for studying literature as a whole. Leiden places the emphasis on the intercultural approach, which means that students are introduced to many different forms of literature. The production and reception of literature (the impact it has on the readers and the value judgment accorded to it) is seen as an intercultural process. Moreover, an intermedial approach to literature is chosen, resulting in a focus on the relationships between literature and cinema or other creative arts.

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