In our first session we will try to tease out the most common tropes that make up the "discourse of exile" in the 20th century. More than any other, 20th century has been defined by totalitarian political systems, mass displacement, and the all-encompassing feeling of national and metaphysical homelessness. Hence the title of our course: nobody's home.
Our starting point will be the three essays by writers from distinct national backgrounds, as well as historical and theoretical positions: Edward Said's “Reflections on Exile”, Hannah Arendt's “We Refugees”, and Dubravka Ugrešić's “The Writer in Exile.” When reading these essays, keep in mind the following questions: What is the difference between an exile, refugee, immigrant, political dissident, and an expat? Are these categories clearly defined? In what terms? Economical? Political? Aesthetic? Can we think of these categories as politically and ideologically charged labels? In what sense?
Both Said and Ugrešić talk about exile in terms of writing, as a specific "genre," philosophical and critical "attitude," or even a "mood." What are the predominant markers or tropes of the exile "genre"? What is the attitude of an exile towards his "homeland" and adopted country? How does an exile deal with his or her "double biography"? What kinds of a mood or moods are associated with the state of exile? Why?
As you're writing your response, be sure to look at the following posts dealing with the mythology and literature of exile in the ancient and modern world. I hope it will give you an idea of the long and complex genealogy of exile as both a concrete historical experience and a metaphor for the human condition as such.
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