Difference and Representation: The Ethics of Reading the Underrepresented

In a world where different peoples and cultures circulate, the task of ethically encountering difference is urgent. Yet, underrepresented literatures are often read as a token or symbol of their cultures, which risks reducing communities to one story. This course will consider the ethics of reading literary pieces across the Americas in relation to their cultural context, noting how authors figure the historical legacies of trauma, violence, and marginalization. Moving beyond the multicultural imperative to merely include 'other' voices, we will focus instead on how we can responsibly listen to, or witness, these stories.