International refugees and academic experts have come together to create a new book that examines how Dante’s Divine Comedy resonates with today’s migrants fleeing their home countries. Titled Dante on the Move, the book was launched earlier this month in Rome.
The book is part of the “Reading Dante with Refugees” research project led by the University of Birmingham and Trinity College Rome. Contributors include people from Afghanistan, China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, Ukraine, the USA, and Venezuela.
Mohammed, a Kurdish refugee from Iraq who contributed to the book, survived a shipwreck in the Mediterranean. He shared, “Reading Dante’s work gave me new language to tell my own terrible story of loss after surviving a shipwreck to get to safety in Europe. In Dante, refugees have an ally and an inspiration.”
My new book is now available with work from refugees from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Iran, Egypt, Venezuela & allies. This is Dante as you’ve never read him before for everyone keen to understand the experiences of refugees @IRiS_Birmingham@TrinityCollegehttps://t.co/GC4Vuryzmk
— Dr Jennifer Allsopp (@JenniferAllsopp) June 30, 2024
Professor Jennifer Allsopp, a Birmingham Fellow and Visiting Professor at Trinity College Rome, remarked, “From refugee camps to detention centres, Dante’s words about the pain of exile lead to immediate thematic parallels between the 14th-century canonical text and stories of today’s refugees. The idea for Dante on the Move has been germinating for a long time but it feels especially poignant given the anti-refugee politics of the current right-wing government in Italy and on the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death.
“Dante talks with a timeless quality about many experiences faced by people forced to flee. This book is testament to the incredible talent of our contributors, showing them ‘on the move’ as they stride towards brighter futures.”
Drawing Parallels Between Dante’s Exile and Modern Migration
The anthology is divided into three sections: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, reflecting the structure of Dante’s Divine Comedy. Each part focuses on specific themes from Dante’s work, tied to the refugees’ experiences.
Inferno grapples with hellish voyages, including Mohammed’s account of his shipwreck. It also contains reflections on language’s power, with Afghan poet Melila writing, ‘You took the pen from my hand because you are afraid of my knowledge.’
Purgatorio explores the fusion of Eastern and Western learning, the power of art, and the impact of contested cultural legacies. Contributors like Zahra, Sanaz, Will, Anna, and Alina delve into these themes through their unique perspectives.
— Dr Jennifer Allsopp (@JenniferAllsopp) July 8, 2024
In Paradiso, contributors imagine meetings with admired individuals. Sanaz Alafzada, a refugee student from Afghanistan, reimagines a meeting between herself and her late grandmother, drawing on Dante’s encounter with his ancestor in Paradiso. She stated, “Contributing to Dante on the Move has been a profound experience that has enabled me to embrace my identity and journey. Developing this text helped me to heal personal trauma while sharing it in the book allows me to emerge as an artist and human rights activist.”
Sanaz concluded, “Working with fellow refugees and allies to explore what Dante means to us today was exceptionally enlightening. Now, inspired by the works of Dante, I have a deep understanding of the true meaning of exile and success, and I’m ready to move forwards. Dante heals.”
International refugees and academic experts have come together to create a new book that examines how Dante’s Divine Comedy resonates with today’s migrants fleeing their home countries. Titled Dante on the Move, the book was launched earlier this month in Rome.
The book is part of the “Reading Dante with Refugees” research project led by the University of Birmingham and Trinity College Rome. Contributors include people from Afghanistan, China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, Ukraine, the USA, and Venezuela.
Mohammed, a Kurdish refugee from Iraq who contributed to the book, survived a shipwreck in the Mediterranean. He shared, “Reading Dante’s work gave me new language to tell my own terrible story of loss after surviving a shipwreck to get to safety in Europe. In Dante, refugees have an ally and an inspiration.”
Professor Jennifer Allsopp, a Birmingham Fellow and Visiting Professor at Trinity College Rome, remarked, “From refugee camps to detention centres, Dante’s words about the pain of exile lead to immediate thematic parallels between the 14th-century canonical text and stories of today’s refugees. The idea for Dante on the Move has been germinating for a long time but it feels especially poignant given the anti-refugee politics of the current right-wing government in Italy and on the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death.
“Dante talks with a timeless quality about many experiences faced by people forced to flee. This book is testament to the incredible talent of our contributors, showing them ‘on the move’ as they stride towards brighter futures.”
Drawing Parallels Between Dante’s Exile and Modern Migration
The anthology is divided into three sections: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, reflecting the structure of Dante’s Divine Comedy. Each part focuses on specific themes from Dante’s work, tied to the refugees’ experiences.
Inferno grapples with hellish voyages, including Mohammed’s account of his shipwreck. It also contains reflections on language’s power, with Afghan poet Melila writing, ‘You took the pen from my hand because you are afraid of my knowledge.’
Purgatorio explores the fusion of Eastern and Western learning, the power of art, and the impact of contested cultural legacies. Contributors like Zahra, Sanaz, Will, Anna, and Alina delve into these themes through their unique perspectives.
In Paradiso, contributors imagine meetings with admired individuals. Sanaz Alafzada, a refugee student from Afghanistan, reimagines a meeting between herself and her late grandmother, drawing on Dante’s encounter with his ancestor in Paradiso. She stated, “Contributing to Dante on the Move has been a profound experience that has enabled me to embrace my identity and journey. Developing this text helped me to heal personal trauma while sharing it in the book allows me to emerge as an artist and human rights activist.”
Sanaz concluded, “Working with fellow refugees and allies to explore what Dante means to us today was exceptionally enlightening. Now, inspired by the works of Dante, I have a deep understanding of the true meaning of exile and success, and I’m ready to move forwards. Dante heals.”
You can buy this book on Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Amazon.co.uk
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