EN 252

Multiculturalism & Literature

This course considers literature by and about ethnic/racial minority groups or migrant communities in Canada and the United States in light of official policies and representations of multiculturalism and diversity. Focusing primarily on works (including fiction, poetry, drama, memoir and essay) by writers from Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Middle East, we will explore topics such as migration and adaptation (including assimilation, citizenship and labour/employment); interethnic/racial and inter-generational struggles and interactions; trans-cultural, trans-national and diasporic identities; as well as the politics of representation and self-representation of minority and migrant populations in contemporary North America.