Hey bloggers,

Its been a while since we have last blogged and in that time, so much has been going on in ASTU. For this week’s blog, there was not really one thing that everyone talked about. Blogs this week ranged from discussing our most recent joint CAP lecture about the #BlackLivesMatter movement, Mohsin Hamid’s novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist, to a chapter of Phil Klay’s novel Redeployment.

Clara and Ryan both took a look at the joint CAP lecture and Ryan points out how in the lecture, there is a reccourring theme of identity in all of our classes. This theme of identity and the question of who do we grieve arises. Both Clara and Ryan expand on Judith Butler’s ideas and how we see people as either being with “us” or “them.” It is interesting how it is not necessarily another culture that is the problem in a multicultural place, but rather the institutionalized racism that still exists and is beyond our power.

On the other hand, Baris talks about how he did not see The Reluctant Fundamentalist as being an anti-American novel, but instead how it is about the struggle and confusion of Changez trying to adjust and fit in to a new place with a different culture. I had not really thought about the novel this way all too much before reading his blog post and because I had never really experienced something like this myself. Having been born and raised in Vancouver, I have never lived anywhere else. In fact, I have not even moved houses. When travelling to a new place for a vacation, it is not the same kind of feeling because you know that it is only for a short amount of time and and you still go home and get back into routine. The different lenses in which the book can be interpreted through makes it all the more interesting and allows for you to really see what others think.

This week Martin discusses Phil Klay’s Redeployment and how even when soldiers return home from war, a part of them is still there and that coming back home is a battle within itself. He mentions how once the soldiers are back home, they have difficulty adjusting back to normal life because they have been trained to always be cautious and attentive of everything in their surroundings. Many soldiers like Sgt. Price are then confused as to what is home. When at home, they want to go back to the battle field and when on the battle field, they are wishing that they were at home. This makes it difficult when trying to adjust which raises the question that Therese asks how should we act when they get back? Do we thank them for what they have done or do we ask them about the war? This battle that soldiers face when they come home is much more than them. It has an impact on everyone, especially those who they are close to and are trying to welcome them home.

This weeks blogs have all been very diverse and interesting. I look forward to reading everyone’s last blogs soon, but until then, good luck to everyone with their upcoming assignments!

– Elizabeth