ETHS 380 CD - Immigrant Narratives

Minimum Credit(s) Awarded: 4
Maximum Credit(s) Awarded: 4

This course investigates the issue of immigration, border, and identities in modern and contemporary immigrant narratives in the United States. Focusing on texts of various genres, such as fiction, film, memoir, and poetry, by writers of diverse ethnic and racial ancestries, we will explore these key questions: What are the major themes and issues in immigrant narratives? What does it mean to cross borders, and what are the causes, possibilities, and problems of border crossings? In what ways do immigrant subjects challenge or negotiate boundaries that seek to oppress, exclude, or constrain? How do race and ethnicity intersect with other salient social identities such as class, gender, sexuality, religion, and nationality in the construction of immigrant identities? In what ways do immigrant narratives challenge or accommodate the U.S. national discourse of immigrant assimilation and upward mobility? In what ways can literary and cultural studies empower us as we seek to understand the urgent issues of immigration, citizenship, and identities in today’s national and global contexts?

Prerequisite(s): W tag