Luiza Duarte Caetano

I am a PhD student in Comparative Literature at the University of Michigan. My dissertation focuses on literary representations of the French Revolution and the Paris Commune, written in various genres, epochs and national traditions, by authors who see their works as politically-committed. A few examples are Louise Michel’s novel La chasse aux loups, Peter Weiss’s play Marat/Sade, and Andrzej Wajda’s film Danton. I investigate the kind of knowledge about literature and revolution that each of these works advances. Ultimately, I aim at reimagining politically-engaged literary studies in the present.

I come to this topic as a person who loves art and as a literary scholar who is curious and concerned about the functions that literature, aesthetics and intellectual work may play in relation to capitalism and the oppressions that it engenders. In addition to my research, I also incorporate this theme into my teaching practices and my participation in local organizations and actions against poverty and homelessness. I am excited to be in the Marxism Lab and look forward to further integrating reading and learning about critical theory with my academic work, my non-academic activities, and my daily life.