Writing Transnational Lives

How do we write the history of a transnational family, immigrant or exile group? How is biography different from history? In this seminar we will answer these questions by consulting thinkers such as Arendt, Bourdieu, and Gramsci. As case studies we will study examples such as Jewish and Lebanese immigrants, Latin American exiles, and Americans abroad, among others. With the aid of primary and secondary sources, oral history, and genealogy, students will be encouraged to write transnational biographies and histories of their choosing. We will create diverse types of biographies including family trees and obituaries. Students will choose a final research project in consultation with the professor. 3 hrs. lect./disc.