New Nomads and Migration Literature

Dr. phil. Hans-Christian Trepte (Universität Leipzig): In Search of a New Freedom. New Nomads and Migration Literature

After the democratic turn in East Central Europe (1989/1990) emigration turned mainly into migration. Nevertheless many writers from Eastern and Central Europe stayed in the West, refusing (re)integration in their native countries. Others left their homes in search of different freedoms. Some writers switched language and cultural codes, became bilingual or began writing in one (or even more) „stepmother“ language(s). The other language is often used as a „filter“ to articulate different social, religious, cultural and sexual taboos. Many of these authors prefer travelling, feeling at home at the same time in different places. In their (literary) works their main characters often dispose of changing, instable, fluid, double or even multiple identities, whereas ethnic or national categories disappear more and more. Modern nomads do not only change their countries and cities in search of a better life and well-paid jobs, but they also look for new adventures, and sexual freedoms, mainly in the big cities of the West.