History & Imagined Space in the Graphic Novel w/ Barbara Mann

UChicago Center for Middle Eastern Studies

In this episode, Barbara Mann, a professor of Cultural Studies and Hebrew Literature at The Jewish Theological Seminary, discusses how graphic novels serve as a unique space for historical discourse. Citing commercially-popular examples like Maus and The Rabbi’s Cat, Mann concludes that the language of graphic novels, their unique way of presenting anecdotes, and their narrators enable the form to explore historical narratives. She argues that through a conversation of language, cartoon visuals, and the literal story-telling space on the page, comics can mimic the experience of the past. This lecture is part of the Farouk Mustafa Memorial Friday Lecture Series. The views expressed in this podcast are the participants' own and do not necessarily represent the views of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies.