Caribe Working Group

The Caribe Working Group welcomes interested graduate students to participate in monthly discussions focused on the literary and cultural production of the Caribbean. Born from the Hispanic Studies section of the Romance Languages department, many of our current members are interested in the Hispanic Caribbean and Haiti, with upcoming sessions reflecting those interests. However, the group’s spirit is collaborative and invites members to suggest other topics for future meetings as well as share works in progress. Join us for our first meeting on Wednesday, January 22 in Williams 440 from 2:00pm - 4:00pm. Please email mglikin@sas.upenn.edu to RSVP. Our introductory session, Contemporary Challenges in the Caribbean, will look closely at Puerto Rico's recent historic protests last Summer and reflect on the mounting issues stemming from neocolonial practices, corruption, and the recent increase in environmental disasters. We will look back on the devastating aftermath of Hurricane María as we confront the current terror Puerto Ricans face during this recent wave of earthquakes. These issues also deeply impact the neighboring Caribbean islands. This January 12 marked 10 years since the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Just this past hurricane season, The Bahamas suffered immensely after Hurricane Dorian. We will discuss the challenges facing the Caribbean in light of these natural disasters and the financial strain from neocolonial practices.