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Refugee and Exile Writing is an E-seminar. By studying works from various genres—novels, poems, personal testimony, graphic novels, film, and theoretical texts—we will examine the ways in which leaving home and adapting to new circumstances are depicted. How are exiles' and refugees' experiences similar or different across different national contexts? Can exile be construed in positive terms—for example as a process of self-discovery and critical insight—as some philosophers claim? What are the emotional, psychological, and socio-economic consequences of refugee displacement? Rather than construing refugees and exiles as victims of political, economic and environmental crises, the seminar will investigate qualities of resilience, adaptability, and self-agency.
In focusing on the contemporary political context, our texts will shed light on the question of what host countries gain from the cultural and intellectual output of exiles and refugees. Can such cultural output shape local and global views towards outsiders? How can host countries become more hospitable? Must refugees and exiles remain strangers? What does it mean to be on the move, to wait? What is the future of mass migration due to climate change, environmental disaster, war, oppression, and political instability?
Primary texts and theoretical readings in English may include works (and excerpts) by Said, Arendt, Yazbek, Boochani, Cleave, di Giovanni, Tan, Moorehead, Hurd, and Cummins. Readings will need to be completed prior to the start of each session. Some texts will be made available in electronic form; a few texts will need to be purchased. Assessment will involve class discussion, participation, written work and oral presentations. The seminar will include presentations from the Academy in Exile. A stable internet connection, mic, and simple set of headphones are required for weekly participation in the class. No camera is needed. Please sign up for the course via the Moodle page. |
