Crossing Waters is a course that examines various aspects of Caribbean life through the experience of exile, as it is manifested in literary works produced inside as well as outside of the region. Caribbean history begins with the physical crossing of the Atlantic from the coast of West Africa to island plantations. This historical crossing has become a metaphor for talking about Caribbean life experiences. The advent of Independence and mass migration from the islands to Britain, Canada and America in the 1960s have introduced new concepts of nation and nationhood. Since then, especially since the 1980s, a new wave of immigration has given birth to a new group of Caribbean artists whose works have contributed to reshaping Caribbean concepts of culture and identity.

Crossing Waters problematizes the question of exile, examining the collective as well as the individual experience. How does one define the state of exile? How do the varying experiences of exile affect traditional social structures? What cultural ex-changes are made in the process of the crossing? What effect does the crossing have on the individual’s sense of identity? The course approaches these questions with an open mind.

HUMN 3999: Special Topics Course
Dr. Derrilyn E. Morrison