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Contemporary poetry lays bare the contradictory nature of migration policies. Documents and documentation can make or break a migrant or refugee person’s case. In the twenty-first century, possessing the proper documents and/or documentation determines a person’s legal and, by connection, social standing in their country of residence. Poet Esther Lin explains this in a poem”: “Illegal Immigration // Is defined by the absence of a paper // and the presence of a person. An undocumented person is a paradox: / a person with pages and pages // documenting her movements / is a convict.” The paradox presented in the poem will serve as a guiding theme this semester as we explore poetry that challenges notions of citizenship and legality. This course gives students an introduction to recent poetry by writers with current or former liminal legal status (i.e. lacking proper documentation). Students are expected to purchase Aline Mello’s More Salt than Diamond (2022), Alan Pelaez Lopez’s to love and mourn in the age of displacement (2020) in advance (more information will be provided in the first session). Additional primary and secondary materials will be provided via Moodle.
In addition to poetry, students will engage with visual and performance art and short film. |
