Travel writing has recently (and rightfully) fallen out of favor for prioritizing the perspectives of privileged, white visitors, or those who flatten their destinations into exotic sites for "finding themselves." But travel itself continues to occupy an important space in our lives: with the lifting of pandemic restrictions, travel is booming, both domestically and abroad. How, then, can we write about our voyages in ways that are meaningful for both us and the communities we visit?
In this class, we'll explore how a new generation of writers, including those from historically marginalized backgrounds, are creating a different canon of travel writing. We'll study the work of writers like Anjan Sundaram, Saidiya Hartman, Anna Badhken, and others to understand how they avoid the risks of "parachute journalism," portray characters from other cultures with care, and distill a sense of place through observation, research, and self-reflection. The class will include exercises to strengthen your own travel writing, as well as time for Q&A.
