The Penguin Book of Migration Literature was born as a class called "Comparative Migration Literature" at St. John's University in 2014. Unlike other U.S. college classes about immigrant literature, this one included writings from around the world rather than just the United States. My students and I loved reading a wide range of poetry, fiction, and memoir, and observing the similarities and differences among migrations across continents and centuries. At St. John's, a historically immigrant-serving institution in Queens, NY, many students are immigrants themselves or kids of immigrants; those in my class found it empowering and validating to see some of their own families' experiences reflected in literature.
When I taught the class for a second time in 2017, our collective endeavor seemed to take on a new urgency because of the xenophobic, racist stance of the current U.S. federal government. In the face of Muslim bans and border walls, I approached Penguin Classics with the idea of publishing a collection that would celebrate the lives and contributions of migrants around the world. I'm happy to have a chance to share these beautiful pieces of writing with a bigger audience through The Penguin Book of Migration Literature.
- Dr. Dohra Ahmad
English Department, St. John's University
When I taught the class for a second time in 2017, our collective endeavor seemed to take on a new urgency because of the xenophobic, racist stance of the current U.S. federal government. In the face of Muslim bans and border walls, I approached Penguin Classics with the idea of publishing a collection that would celebrate the lives and contributions of migrants around the world. I'm happy to have a chance to share these beautiful pieces of writing with a bigger audience through The Penguin Book of Migration Literature.
- Dr. Dohra Ahmad
English Department, St. John's University