Traces of Empire: Writing Filipino and American Experiences through Creative Nonfiction

In this writing course with a travel component, students practice the skills of and approaches to writing creative nonfiction, including writing based in primary source materials and experiences such as travel writing, while concurrently exploring the historical and ongoing relationship between the US and the Philippines through writing, discussions, symposia, workshops, and field trips to sites in Manila as well as online and in-person learning experiences with students and faculty at Ateneo de Manila University, our Philippine partner university for this course. Through the study abroad experience, students will foster global relationships and share meaningful peer-to-peer learning exchanges in Manila. Students will practice writing creative nonfiction with a focus on place-based research and direct observation and drawing from research approaches such as primary source interviews, site visits, food tastings, cultural events, and in-person visits to museums and archives.