Postcolonial Studies
/ World Literatures and Comparative Studies
Katy Simonian (California State University - Long Beach)
Katy@****.com (Log-in to reveal)
This panel examines the experiences of diverse diasporic communities as represented in literature, film, and visual art. We welcome proposals that explore how crossing borders or being displaced reshapes identity, expands, challenges, or complicates the concept of homeland, and fosters connection across geographic and cultural divides.
This session explores the multifaceted realities of the global diaspora, focusing on how cultural productions can challenge or complicate expectations regarding the realities of living in exile. We seek presentations examining literature, film, and art that address displacement, structural oppression, war, or genocide. We are particularly interested in projects exploring memories of loss within a colonial, postcolonial, or exilic life. Ultimately, this panel investigates what “home” means to the displaced, migrant, or uprooted—and how that concept can become layered, sacred, conflicted, or even holy. By exploring various depictions of exile, we hope to foster a collaborative conversation on how diasporic communities maintain, redefine, or reconstruct notions of identity, family, religion, and history.