230315 Who’s and Whose Home? Caribbean-Canadian Diasporic Writing (S) (SoSe 2017)

In the late 20th and early 21st century, cultural productions increasingly deal with the topic of migration(s), both voluntary and forced. This statement rings particularly true in the context of the Americas. The migration(s) of people has an impact both on the receiving societies as well as on the societies from which people have departed—their identities (e.g. individual, collective, national), cultures, histories, politics, etc. However, the individual (or personal) experiences seem to be neglected quite often in sociopolitical debates. In this context, it is all the more important to remember that any definitions of “diaspora,” “im/migrant,” “citizen,” “nation,” and so on must always be seen as preliminary and not be understood as straightforward terms. Rather, these man-made terms are employed to describe and categorize, connect and unite, as well as discriminate against and oppress people.

This course deals with the specific corpus of early 21st-century novels by Caribbean-Canadian writers who write in English from a diasporic location in Canada. We will read and discuss a sampling of texts by people/writers who have emigrated from different regions in the Caribbean to Canada (as well as texts by 2nd-generation im/migrants). These works of “im/migrant literature” contribute to our understanding of Caribbean diasporic cultures and societies; Canada’s trendsetter status as the ultimate multicultural society; intersecting issues of “race,” gender, class, and sexuality; as well as general questions surrounding processes of im/migration. In the discussions of all of the above, questions of belonging and unbelonging, of home and not home, arise inevitably. Considering this seminar's focus on the concept of home, we will thus ask questions such as: (How) can home be defined both in our corpus of primary works and beyond? Does living in the diaspora mean losing home or can diaspora be home?

The focus of the seminar will be put on the reading and group discussions of the primary works. Other reading will be assigned, for instance on the “genre” im/migrant literature, Canada as immigration destination, Multiculturalism, the Caribbean diaspora (as a prime example of diasporic experience), and the highly contested terminologies of home and diaspora.

Students can obtain 3 credit points in form of a Studienleistung. Requirements will be announced in the first session.