230605 Ethnic Ghost Stories – Haunted by History (Stud.AG) (SoSe 2020)

At first sight, ghost stories and ethnic novels might appear to have no relation to each other. However, a closer look at ethnic novels will reveal that various figurations of ghosts and ghostliness have been employed in order to address socio-political concerns and cultural issues.

In this student-led study group we will follow the footsteps of cultural heritage in memory, haunting and identity in either Amy Tan’s novel “The Hundred Secret Senses” or Shawna Yang Ryan’s novel “Water Ghosts” (which one we will work on -or if we will even engage with both novels- is going to be discussed together on our first meeting). Engaging with our novel(s), we will work on the concept of cultural haunting as well as its connection to memory and identity – especially in minority literature. In so doing, we will not only discuss the literary figure of the ghost and its purpose in our narrative, but also read between the lines. We will make an excursion to trauma studies and explore the transition of a ‘traumatic memory’ into a ‘narrative memory’ by exorcising the ghosts of the past and piecing a fragmented identity back together.

In order to fully grasp the issues addressed in the novel, we will put our findings into a larger socio-political context by looking at the narrative as a translation of cultural trauma into fiction.