Literatures of the Roma (Gypsies); From Imagination to Self-Representation

Fascination with the Roma (Gypsies) have resulted in a plethora of works produced over centuries by non-Roma authors. These works, in turn, have shaped societal perceptions and norms of engagement and played a central role in the fictitious and exceedingly negative stereotyping and persecution of the Roma. Little attention has been paid to the literature and art produced by the Roma to counter their exoticized and often dehumanizing images and allow for their self-representation. The course provides an opportunity for students to examine stereotypes associated with the Roma as well as engage with primary resources (poetry, prose, essays, art) produced by Roma authors and also drawn from collective forms of Romani art (fairy tales and songs). Students will explore themes of “the other,” identity, class, race, gender, location (and dislocation) and time, and the often overlooked experiences of Romani slavery and the Holocaust, amongst others. Teamwork is promoted through active engagement with the texts and through the application of interview and translation skills (workshops will be provided) to the cross-network collaborative projects. Students will have the choice to either interview Roma writers, authors or other significant cultural figures or translate a short text written by a Roma author that is not available in English. The course is an OSUN network collaborative course that engages students from Bard College and Central European University in cross-network collaboration.