This course will examine the immigration experience as reflected in literary works of various genres.  The focus of the course will be to identify the unifying characteristics of the works of immigrant writers:  What experiences are universal to immigrants from a wide variety of sending countries and cultures?  What is lost and what gained in the assimilation and integration processes?  How did different ethnic groups respond to the process and how are the similarities and differences reflected in the literary documents they have produced?  What does it mean to write about the immigration process and how does the act of writing serve to validate and/or "work through" certain experiences and ordeals common to most immigrants?  Certain common themes we will examine are: prejudice and racism, exploitative labor, and the female immigrant's role within the family structure as it contrasts with the "old world" conception of a woman's place in the home and community.  
Continuing Education Units (CEU) : 0

You'll walk away with

• An understanding of how the immigrant experience influenced some of the world's most critically acclaimed writers
• Knowledge about important literary works of various genres
• An understanding of common themes found in literature about immigration
• Increased cultural literacy

Ideal for

• The curious and creative
• Professionals who use critical thinking