Is there such a thing as ‘world literature from the global south’? Perhaps the strongest conjunction between the theories of the global south and world literature is the interest in the political scope of literature. How can we imagine a literary canon that consolidates or prompts modes of political action, thereby bringing the political imperatives of the south or of regionalism to bear on the global scope of world literature? It sounds like a great deal of detective work. As such, this talk will present the case of uncanny affiliation between detective fiction north and south of the Mediterranean, starting from Sicily and Alexandria going via Paris, Liège and mediaeval Arabia. Whodunit? Everybody. That is what world literature means. But why? That is the imperative of the global south.

This event is made possible by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation though the grant Global Humanities in Egypt and the Global South