Islands of the Mind

Islands command an outsized place in history and imagination. Objects of desire and fear, sites of connection and isolation, they can drive politics and economies, inspire worldviews and fantasy, and impel movements of people. The power of islands has been brought to life in myths about lost isles and in tales about fictional figures like Circe, Sinbad, and Robinson Crusoe. It has also shaped the lives of countless peoples, including premodern Pacific Ocean indigenous navigators, early modern pirates, nuclear refugees in Oceania, and contemporary migrants in the Mediterranean. Using sources ranging from ancient epics and medieval books of islands to colonial maps and contemporary film, this seminar explores the significance that islands have had over the millennia.