Teaching Diasporic Literature to ESL Learners: An Overview

Abstract

Migration is a customary and acknowledged activity not only of animals and birds but also of human beings. It has been taking place since the historical past because it is a necessary and inevitable part of the development process. It is argued that people move because it contributes to the prosperity and a better way of life for the migrants. The origin of the English language began, only when the people who were living around the Black Sea moved towards Western and Eastern direction by around 3000 BC. The movement formed the Indo–European family of language from which the English Language evolved. Hence the term ‘diaspora’ is synonymous to the term ‘migration’. ‘Migration’ – the human face of globalization attempts to show the relationship between culture and development. Traditions may undergo a change due to the change of social environment. Though migrants had enriched their social and economic status due to migration, it accentuates inequalities and the migrants lose their own identity in a hostile environment. This paper explores issues related to ‘diaspora’ and diasporic literature, outlines connections between diasporic writers and offers reason for teaching diasporic literature to ESL students.