Migrant Ecologies

The most recent issue of ISLE recently came in the mail. They now released the “Spring” issue very quickly after the previous “Winter” issue so maybe they’re soon getting rid of their backlog. Anyway, just wanted to say a couple of quick words about this because I thought the issue has an interesting “Special Cluster” this time, too.

The Special Cluster is titled “Migrant Ecologies in an (Un)Bordered World,” and is coordinated by Serpil Oppermann, Serenella Iovino, and Zhou Xiaojing. I studied for a semester under Professor Oppermann in Ankara last fall, and I consider her to be perhaps the most important influence in my, ahem, career as an ecocritic. She wrote the intro, “Introducing Migrant Ecologies in an (Un)Bordered World,” to the special cluster, and in it she outlines the role that climate played in instigating the horrendous civil war in Syria. Exceptionally, the text can be accessed for free even by non-ASLE members here.

Ecocritics are usually fairly well aware of how much influence climate change has on the current humanitarian crises of people having to leave their homes and attempt to migrate to safer regions, but media and politics often ignore the role of climate change in producing refugees. One exception to this lack of reporting is found in this recent The Guardian article.

Since spending a semester studying in Turkey, I have kept up to date with the news of that region, and that’s maybe one reason why I found Meliz Ergin’s “Drought-Induced Migrations in Syria and Turkey” article in this issue so interesting. It’s a good article that sheds light on the situation of Syrian refugees in Turkey, the consequences of the civil war to nature and nonhuman animals, etc. I like how well up to date these ISLE issues are on current politics despite their backlog.

I just got done with this weekend’s teaching. I’m sure my students appreciate my persuasive, clear, and lucid use of the whiteboard to explain the intricacies of summary writing, use of connective words, and, apparently, conservative cuckolds. Can’t remember all that well what it was all about but, like my hairstyle in the 80s, I’m sure it made sense at the time.

To conclude, the (hopefully) last part of the no-doubt-fascinating blog post saga on my health: It seems I’m on the mend, and the weird and painful kidney trouble was just the cause of a random, intense infection that has now passed. Or, that’s the doctors’ best guess anyway so I’ll go with that. I should be back to normal by next week, so that’s nice. Now I’m off to celebrate the birthday of the lovely lady also known as mrs. extremeresearcher. Dinner and movie time. What’s more romantic than going to see…

Cheers for reading again and don’t let the clowns bite.

Featured image credit: hidropolitik akademi