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 AU Library Subject guides Comparative Literature

Subject guide for Comparative Literature

On this page, you will find a selection of resources concerning comparative literature. You are welcome to contact us in case you need any help or if you have suggestions for additional information on the page.  

Reference works

  • Litteraturleksikon
    Litteraturleksikon is a reference work which explains concepts, methods, phenomena and genres in literature. The reference work gives the reader an overview of the field of comparative literature, including literature references and suggestions for further reading. It is written and edited by specialists and covers both classic topics and new trends in literary research.

  • The Literary Encyclopedia
    International encyclopedia on authors, publications, and topics in world literature. The content is also arranged by its historical context which enables search within historical topics and events. Continuously updated.

  • Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Literature
    The Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Literature (ORE) encompasses a wide range of literary topics from all over the world: literature from Africa, Asia, England, Ireland, North America and Western Europe as well as topics such as children's literature, cultural studies, poetry, drama, film, media, literary concepts, comparative literature, etc. All articles are peer-reviewed and written by literary experts. Contains literature references for further reading.

  • Literature Online
    Reference work concerning world literature, a text archive with classic fiction in English, access to the ‘Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature’ (ABELL), and access to a large number of full-text journals and introductions to literary classics. Access to the literary introductions: Click ’Publications’ on the front page and search for study guides.
  • Kindlers Literatur Lexicon
    The classic German lexicon on world literature. Enables search by author, publication, and literary information.
  • Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory & Criticism
  • The reference work is a central source in literary theory and criticism. It includes a large number of entries on critics, theorists, critical schools, and movements within literary theory, aesthetics, philosophy, cultural studies etc.
  • Medie- og Kommunikationsleksikon
    Lexicon in Danish of media and communication and the concepts and ideas connected to it.

  • Oxford Handbooks Online
    OHO is a collection of reference works written by leading scholars. Will be updated continuously. There is access to Business & Management, Economic and Finance, Law, Literature, Political Science, Psychology og Religion. Please note that there is not always access to all volumes of a specific reference work. Search tips:  Guided Tour

  • Oxford Reference Online
    A large collection of acknowledged encyclopedias and dictionaries within the English language, as well as English-to-French, Spanish, German, Italian, Latin, Irish and Welsh dictionaries. Furthermore, it includes collections of quotes, illustrations, maps, and historical timelines. It is suitable for references on classical texts through the many reference works on classical studies, as well as for references on children’s literature.
  • Den Store Danske
    Danish general encyclopedia with many entries on specifically Danish matters.

Article Databases

  • Bibliotek.dk – Search for articles
    This Danish article database contains Danish newspaper and journal articles.
  • JSTOR
    Journal database with full-text access to the leading academic journals within all subject areas.
    NB: it is usually not possible to access the most recent 3-5 volumes, but it is possible to access publications before that – some journals even go back to the 16th-18th centuries.
  • Project Muse
    Journal database with full-text access to high quality journals within the humanities and social science. The database provides access to the most recent issues and sometimes to older issues (back issues) as well. Continuously updated.

Bibliographies

  • MLA International Bibliography
    References to articles and books within literature and language studies. Usually, the articles are available in full text. Covers European, Asian, American, and African languages and literary fields. MLA is one of the leading international bibliographies within the field.
  • Dansk Litteraturhistorisk Bibliografi
    Contains references to books and articles on Danish literature and Danish writers which have been published all over the world since 1967. Originally prepared by Aage Jørgensen, but will now be continued in an updated version by Det Danske Sprog- og Litteraturselskab.
  • Bibliotek.dk
    National bibliography of all publications in Denmark dating back to 1841. Also contains catalogues of all Danish libraries (public and academic libraries).
  • Bibliography of Metaphor and Metonymy
    International bibliography which covers the term ‘metaphor’ widely. All articles have keywords, many also an abstract. The database is updated once a year.
  • The Danish National Research Database
    The Danish National Research Database. English version available. Bibliographic database with references to Danish research publications from especially Danish universities, but also from other schools, governmental research institutions, research councils, etc. Not covering 100%.
  • International African Bibliography
    International bibliography referring to literature about the African continent. The literature covers a wide field of the humanities and social science: anthropology, archaeology, philosophy, history, art, agriculture, politics, pedagogics, religion, languages, education, and economics.

Journals

Dictionaries

  • Gyldendals røde ordbøger
       Online version of Gyldendal’s dictionaries. The dictionaries are based on the print versions of Gyldendals Røde Ordbøger.  

    • E-books and online archives

    • Arkiv for Dansk Litteratur
      Archive for the classical Danish literature, mostly that of an older date. Each entry has information such as biography, bibliography, and a literary portrait of the author in question.
    • bokselskap.no
      E-book database with free access to a collection of classic Norwegian texts.
    • Cambridge Companions Online
      Online version of the acknowledged Cambridge Companions series meant for students. Contains introductions to classical and central authors, artists, philosophers, topics, and periods. Continuously updated with newly published works. The series dates back to 1986 and is published by Cambridge University Press.
    • Early European Books
      Archive with digitalized literature from before 1701 covering all subject areas. Gives access to a comprehensive selection of printed sources, regardless of language. The archive works as a supplement to Early English Books Online (EEBO) and is thus mostly concerned with non-English books. It contains precise searchable reproductions of the publications. Continuously updated and expanded.
    • Ebook Central 
      Multidisciplinary e-book database covering all subject areas, including many titles within literary history. The books, which are mainly in English, have been published through acknowledged publishers. Titles are regularly both added and removed.
    • Intelex Past Masters
      E-book database providing electronic access to classics within e.g. philosophy. Includes works of Fichte, Hegel, Kant, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Peirce, Schelling, Schopenhauer, and Wittgenstein.
    • Loeb Classical Library
      Grants access to the classical literature in Greek and Latin: epic and lyric poetry, tragedies, comedies, history, travel literature, philosophy, medicine, mathematics, biographies, etc. The texts are provided in their original language as well as a parallel translation into English.
    • Oxford Scholarship Online
      Grants access to a wide selection of books from Oxford University Press. Only provides full-text access to the subjects that AU Library subscribes to: Classical Studies, Linguistics, Literature, Economics and Finance, Philosophy, Political Science, Law, Sociology, Religion, Biology, and Public Health and Epidemiology. On other subjects, access is only granted to the abstracts of the books

    Reviews

    • Bibliotek.dk
      Reviews in Danish of art exhibitions can be found through bibliotek.dk. Search for the title of or keywords from the exhibition. Limit the search to ‘udstilling’ in ‘materialetyper’ (to the left of the page). Open the post and click ‘Anmeldelser’.
    • The Complete Review
    • The London Review of Books
      English journal for reviews of literature and culture.
    • The New York Review of Books
      American journal for reviews of literature and culture – only with partial full-text access.

    Newspaper and media

    • Infomedia
      InfoMedia is a large newspaper database with full-text access to a number of Danish newspapers. The articles date back to around 1990.
    • Altinget
      Online newspaper regarding Danish politics – news, backgrounds, analyses, and portraits. Also includes polls, press announcements, and other news from the Danish Parliament.
    • Filmcentralen/For alle
      Filmcentralen/For alle is the Danish Film Institute’s streaming service with short- and documentary films. It includes both newer and more classic films. Also provides information, background articles, and recommendations to the films.
      NB: Filmcentralen/For alle is a free service which provides access to a large collection of films. If you are asked for a UNI-login, it means you do not have access to the film.
    • Kulturmonitor
      Kulturmonitor is a digital news media which covers the news, the debates and the analyses within the area of film, performing arts, art, music, literature and cultural politics. Published by Monitormedier A/S.
    • Larm.fm
      Gives researchers and students access to stream Danish radio shows dating from 1931 until today. Furthermore, it provides a bibliography on all radio and TV shows broadcasted by DR from 1925-1983.
    • Mediestream
      Mediestream contains radio and TV broadcasts from selected Danish channels since 2005. Continuously updated. Available in English.

    Websites

    Editors

    Lotte Thyrring Andersen

    Senior Researcher
    M
    H 1360
    P +4589462309
    P +4551671326

    Jette Bohn

    Librarian
    M
    H 1582
    P +4591356438

    Karoline Liv Vildlyng

    Information Specialist
    M

    P +4591356432

    Courses

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    Research Tools

    • NEWW Women Writers: a network and a tool
      Research database and tool edited by the NEWW network: New approaches to European Women’s Writing. The database contains references to works about female European writers from the Middle Ages to the start of the 20th century. The database is especially valuable in regard to lists of works and their reception in their contemporary time as well as in the literary history. Click “women authors” to access the database. For full access of the tools of the site, you have to be a member of NEWW.

    Libraries online

    • Bibliotek.dk
      The Danish national library database. It includes references to all Danish public and academic libraries and their materials. Makes it possible to book materials from all Danish libraries for pick-up at your own library.
    • Bibliothèque nationale de France
    • The British Library
    • Oria.no (BIBSYS)
      Oria is a united library database for the collected materials of the Norwegian research libraries. Contains e.g. references to books, works of research, theses, music, films, and electronic materials from open sources.
    • Deutsche National Bibliothek
    • LIBRIS
      LIBRIS is the united library database for the Swedish national library and the Swedish university and research libraries. It contains literature (books, journals, music, theses etc.) within all subject areas.

    Guidances

    Theses from AU Library

    Reference management

    It is important to refer correctly to the work of others when writing your own texts. Learn more about reference management here.

    AU Studypedia

    AU Studypedia is an academic tool for you to use in regard to writing assignments, searching for literature, and other approaches related to your studying. Here, you will find concrete advice, inspiration, and exercises.

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    Copyright

    Do you know the rules about copyright, when you are studying and writing papers? Figure out how and when you can use pictures, video-recordings or other materials here.

    Information seeking

    We have collected some relevant information about information retrieval and on how to quickly and efficiently find the materials you need.

    More for your studies

    We have compiled the best resources for you as a student so you can get an easy overview of the services AU Library has to offer.    

    Revised 16.05.2025
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