Refugee Ecologies: Exploring Forced Displacement, the Environment, and American Literature

Webinar Details

The “refugee” is often thought of as a twentieth-century figure which was formally defined by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 1951. However, forced displacement has always been a part of world history and culture, and this webinar turns to American literature to explore how writers have long grappled with the complex realities of refugeehood.

This webinar suggests that refugee literature is a significant but overlooked through line in American culture, and it considers how activities such as creative-critical exercises and service-learning components can help us incorporate this thread in university courses.

Instructor: Marguerite Nguyen (NHC Fellow, 2023–24; Associate Professor of English, Wesleyan University)

Advisors: Jayson Chang and Molly Todd, NHC Teacher Advisory Council