ENG-156 Immigrant Stories
Explores the stories of individuals and groups who have traveled to the United States - a country that the poet Walt Whitman celebrated as a "nation of nations" - in search of greater freedom and opportunity. While some discover their version of the American Dream, others find themselves lost in exile, caught in between identities, and in danger due to their undocumented status. Moving from 19th-century visions of the U.S. as a crucible, or melting pot, of cultures to today's political tensions about borders and law enforcement, our readings reflect on the promise and peril of being new to America. Students will analyze fiction, nonfiction, and film and visit an immigrant advocacy coalition in Boston.