Description:

BURNING THE MEDITERRANEAN:
Clandestine Crossings in Cinema and Literature

a lecture by Hakim Abderrezak
University of Minnesota

In his talk, Professor Hakim Abderrezak examines the portrayal of clandestine migrants and refugees in Mediterranean cinematic and literary productions. In addition to analyzing works produced on both sides of the Sea, including France, Algeria, Morocco, Spain and Italy, the talk also looks at mass media coverage and political discourse about clandestine passages. Professor Abderrezak argues that the burning of the Sea, i.e., the unauthorized crossing of the Mediterranean, is what he terms an “ex-centric” migratory trend, in other words, one that is in stark contrast to the historical migration pattern in the region, a shift which reflects critical multinational political changes since the mid-1990s. Furthermore, he demonstrates that artistic representations are a response to hegemonic discourses about the phenomenon and often serve as a corrective alternative narrative.