LIT 354/554 Immigration

Immigration has received much attention in the last century, usually as a “problem” or a “question” for the host country. The general term immigration is often used to talk about political exiles, economic refugees and internal migrants, as well as those who fit the classic picture of an individual or family moving permanently to a new home country. This course looks at literary works by writers who have been classified as "immigrants" to the country from which they write. We will take into account the linguistic, political and cultural issues these authors consider, but we will also look at how writing about immigration raises questions about national identity and belonging for both immigrants and non-immigrants.