(Un)Belonging in African Women’s Writings

We are often all too familiar with the question ‘where is home?’ when we encounter strangers or find ourselves in a new environment. In this course, we will explore the narratives of African women writers on travel and return, with a specific focus on ideas of home, identity, and (un)belonging. Spanning works from 1982 to 2020, we’ll travel with these writers from East, South, and West Africa to Europe, North America, and the United Kingdom to explore the complications of home, identity, and (un)belonging. We will consider various attempts to make meaning of ‘belonging’ in these migratory texts while reflecting on our own situations, e.g., coming from somewhere else and residing temporarily in Rhode Island to study. Our primary texts will serve as vehicles for movement from Africa to other parts of the world.