Two perceptions about Comparative Literature are built into the title of this volume:

1. Comparative Literature is viewed as a discipline.

2. This discipline is in quest of its own identity and directions.

At the moment, it seems, with little risk of sounding presumptuous or naive, one could compare Comparative Literature to God. There are many who practice faith in God, without entering into any critical rumination on the concept, reality or existence of God. Similarly, thousands of academicians practice Comparative Literature as a critical tool and pedagogy without any profession of commitment to it as a vision or methodology. They are in it, part of it, and yet do not deem it significant to examine its relevance and viability. There are millions of devotees who worship God daily or even hourly, and yet go through the crisis of faith, a kind of ‘dark night of the soul’ experience, question the foundations of their own belief in the very existence of God, and reach an abysmal level of commitment. Some of the authors in this volume and those referred to by them, including Gayatri Spivak, are in such a crisis of faith regarding Comparative Literature. Just like most of those who trust in God, the Comparatists who denounce their own vision and mission, also come back only to rededicate themselves to their task.

I consider this anthology as the voices of such returnees, who have been wise enough to review their positions vis-avis Comparative Literature.