No. 23 (2025): Exiles

The notion of exile is inseparably tied to the idea of separation and rupture, two conceptions that are at the basis of any representation of exile, be it physical or symbolic. The present issue of Oltreoceano entails various visions of the dramatic condition of abandonment of one’s own identity – loss of language and roots – with consequent existential quest. Works by authors whose existence shifted from one to other cultural and social spheres are the object of the contributors’ analysis to this issue of the journal. Ranging from literary and cultural perspectives as they are manifest in the three American linguistic spheres – United States, Canada, South and Central America – the essays extend their outlook to countries belonging to other continents – namely Saharean and Mediterranean Africa and Europe, the latter being a haven for many intellectuals of historic al and geographic backgrounds. An interview with Siegfried Gerhardt, an exile from East Germany, United States, Canada, and South America introduces the theme of “Migratory Literatures”, as discussed in this issue of the collection.