Legacies of Empires: Power and Diversity in Berlin, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, and Sevilla

This program interrogates the ongoing legacies of colonialism and imperialism in Europe and the contemporary world. How are the frameworks we use to understand racialized, excluded, and marginalized people born from those legacies? In this program we will evaluate some of the methods individuals and groups use to generate and interpret knowledge about themselves and about others, analyzing the limits inherent in those systems. Working with Romani artist and activist Vicente Rodriguez Fernandez, we will explore these ideas through the lenses of cultural studies, literature, and political activism.

In Berlin, we will look at links between German and Spanish colonialist ambitions and the rise of Nazism/Fascism. Through site visits and guest speakers we will explore the struggle in Germany between Holocaust remembrance and honoring the universal human rights that emerged from the Holocaust. We will hear from migrants, immigrants, Romani artists, and those working in the human rights sector—where funding sources are often derived from exploitive practices—and we will explore the contradictions inherent in these systems.

In Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia and Sevilla, we will explore how identity and culture impacts migrants, immigrants, and Romani people (Europe’s largest minority, commonly and pejoratively known as Gypsies). Using a story-based approach in conjunction with field trips, heartfelt interactions and riveting performances, we will learn about Roma artistic contributions including the popular flamenco folkloric tradition. We will better understand why the dominant discourse stereotypes Roma people as victims, and counteract that by getting to know the Roma community in their vibrant complexity. Join us as we travel across Europe to unpack and disentangle ourselves from the intellectual legacies of empire. We'll learn alongside one another in a supportive and non-shaming environment, and work to create a warm and collegial learning community for our 10 weeks together. 
 
The Legacies of Empires program will provide students with the necessary tools to analyze the challenging contemporary issues (religious and ethnic conflict, migrations, xenophobia, etc.) that we face today. The aim of our work together is to learn to think critically about how we think, and how to frame our actions as meaningful, purposeful, and ethical in the world.