Educational Catalogue of Resources: Diaspora

Khalil Gibran was a Lebanese American poet and writer. He was a central figure of the Arab literary modernism, particularly within the sphere of poetry. 

Khalil Gibran, a prominent Lebanese-American author, is known most famously for this piece of work. He follows along a character who is leaving an island which had long been called home.

Mehdi Ben Barka, a Moroccan revolutionary politician, presented this report as the II Conference of African Peoples in 1960.

Mehdi Ben Barka, amongst his many roles of being a politician, was a spokesperson of the National Union of Popular Forces (UNFP). This following report goes through Ben Barkas' addresses to the Moroccans, particularly focusing on the relationship between the Moroccans and Algerians. 

I am Joaquín is a piece of poetry which explores the diaspora feeling of Mexican Americans (Chicano's). It highlights the cultural disconnect felt and the rise of the Chicano Movement.

In The Imperialist Partition of Africa, Rodney expands by providing many examples of the imperialist countries, Britain, France, and Germany, coming into the African continent as a "white racist virus" and dividing the continent up for extraction.

Martinez and Vásquez go through the experiences of what the Spanish colonizers did to their land. They tell the story of Mexican Americans (Chicano's) and their fight for freedom.

In Orientalism (1978), Edward W. Said critically examined the Western perception of the "Orient", arguing that it was constructed as a counterpoint to the West and used as a means to assert Western dominance.

In this collection of essays, Said goes through the political discontent going on during the separation of Palestine and Israel, in particular focusing on the 1993 Oslo Accords. These essays demonstrate that often times there is a hidden agenda behind the work of front-facing leaders, demonstrating Said's critique of those involved.

This collection of poetry was Darwish's most favoured one, which he provided to the translator Mohammad Shaheen, himself.

Gonzales was a boxer, politician, activist, and public speaker. This book is a compilation of Gonzales work over the span of 20+ years. It is divided by order of speeches, plays, poetry's, and other messages. 

Darwish, a displaced Palestinian poet of great insight and wisdom, uses poetry as a means of resistance, particularly in accordance to his roots.

From a quick overview, it may seem that Faiz's poetry is nothing out of the ordinary, but upon further understanding, it can be seen rather evidently that his poetry has deep social and political ties.

Bachir Hadj Ali was a great Algerian poet, Andalusian music enthusiast, and political activist. Ali grew up learning both secular and Islamic studies, but eventually had to leave school during his teenage years to support his family.  

Goes through her upbringing as a child, being born in Sudan during the aftermath of corrupt Sudanese politics, family dynamics, and navigating the move to Australia in a post 9/11 time period. 

This book is a collection of some of the best poems of Saadi Youssef's, translated into English from Arabic by Sinan Antoon and Peter Money. Youssef's poetry is centred on his longing for his home country, Iraq.

Saadi Youssef was a prominent Iraqi poet, political activist, and publisher. He lived much of his latter life exiled from Iraq due to conflicting political ideologies with the government regime.

Collection of essays on a broad variety of topics, connected by the theme of social justice through an abolitionists lens. Through her experiences as an diasporic African Muslim woman, she brings in her experiences from her own life and thoughts on contemporary issues.

Khazi Nazrul Isam was a literary genius, particularly when it came to poetry. He was titled the national poet of Bangladesh. This literary exploration by Abu Rayhan follows Islam's life which was filled with hardships and struggles.

Mohammed Harbi lived a very politically involved life with involvement in groups such as the National Liberal Front (FLN) organizing political and practical support for the Algerian struggle, all the while recognizing the FLN had its limitations. Recognizing that every step towards liberation is imperfect, furthering Harbi and his work towards an Algerian revolution.