This roundtable seeks to investigate the classification of “migrant writer” as writers themselves imagine it within the literary and/or cinematographic works they produce in the countries where they live, work and write. Often the category of “migrant writer” indiscriminately includes migrants, refugees, exiles, and first generation “Italians” (sometimes without citizenship). Yet these different classifications of migrant identity determine much of these writers’ perspectives on their home country and their adopted country. They influence their relationship to their native tongue and to their acquired language. Their works provide us with a nuanced view of what it means to live in a country as an “émigré(e)”, a “refugee”, an “expat”, a “native” born without citizenship etc.
In such context, we would like to explore the definition or status of “migrant” as considered and engaged with in its various and complex dimensions by the so-called migrant writers themselves. How do they see themselves and most importantly the work they produce? For whom do they write and why? What relationship do they have with both their native tongue and their near native fluency tongue?
This roundtable will focus on works produced by Italian and other European migrant writers.
Please submit your abstracts (200 words) in English or Italian no later than September 28th through the NEMLA website (#16822) as well as to Lidia Radi (lradi@richmond.edu).