INTERMEDIALITY AND COMPARATIVE LITERATURE

A RELATIONSHIP OF (IN)DEPENDENCE AND EXPANSION OF BORDERS IN CONTEMPORARY BRAZIL

Abstract

This article investigates the interplay between Intermediality Studies, which explores interactions among media, and Comparative Literature, which examines diverse national literatures, their interrelations, critiques, and engagements with other disciplines and expressive forms. Drawing upon a historical and theoretical framework, the study evaluates how intermediality, despite its interdisciplinary character and capacity to deepen the understanding of cultural and aesthetic exchanges across media, remains predominantly subordinated to Comparative Literature within academic Humanities institutions in contemporary Brazil. The discussion situates this issue within a context that considers institutional structures, academic curricula, and the theoretical and epistemological dimensions of their relationship. It argues for the disciplinary autonomy of Intermediality Studies, positing that its consolidation as an independent field could substantively enrich cultural analytical methodologies. The theoretical contributions and conceptualizations advanced by Claus Clüver (2006), Irina Rajewsky (2012) and Lars Elleström (2021)provide essential foundations for this discussion, highlighting the significance and scholarly potential of Intermediality Studies. These reflections, which are steadily gaining traction in Brazil, point to a broader movement towards recognizing and expanding the field’s scope.