Recovery Efforts

Diaspora Photography

UNHRC photos Katrina Pictures The Exposure Project Biloxi, Southern Food Alliance

After looking at the above websites, reading the article, and doing the Critical Thinking Points exercise, your homework for Wednesday, November 18, 2009 is to Actively Read the following article:

"Reading, Writing, Resurrection" by Amy Waldman. (If you are having issues with the article link, I have also uploaded the article as a PDF file on Oasis.) We will break into groups on Wednesday and continue to discuss this idea of discovery, both in terms of Katrina, but also as we consider "opening up" our own Major Essay 2 drafts to take a larger look at these human journeys.

Brainstorming: Major Essay 2 - Tales of Diaspora

Dear Students,

As we begin our second essay, I think it is important to ask ourselves very questions that can lead, through critical reflection, some very complex answers:

What does "home" mean (to me)?

What does my "home" include?

What would happen if I lost my home?

What would happen if I lost my "home" country?

These questions will be our starting point for our second unit, and for inspiring a focused topic for Major Essay 2: Comparing Tales of Diaspora.

It may help you to reflect on what is happening to Ishmael Beah in A Long Way Gone. What can you learn from his experiences of losing his home? What are some of his specific losses as he loses his home? Would you incur some of those same kinds of loss?

Also, below are a few links to secondary resources that may help inspire your thinking on our topic:

Some photos of those who have lost their home...

Migrants in France...