Where Personal Meets Political: The Art of Writing About Home

Class Description

Home is an origin, home is an aspiration; home is personal, home is political. In this class, we'll look at the ways we can write about home in our nonfiction. In the first half, we’ll consider architecture and physical space in personal essays; in the second half of the class, we’ll look at how personal space and objects can be used to establish intimacy in socio-political writing. We'll consider the work of James Baldwin, Terry Tempest Williams, Valeria Luiselli, and Garnette Cadogan.

Students should be prepared to research while in class, either via laptop or other materials.

Class Format

This class will take place in-person at our Center for Creative Writing in Boston's Seaport neighborhood.

Covid-19 Update:

GrubStreet's space will be mask optional when Boston's Covid-19 Community Level is low or medium. When the Covid-19 Community Level is high, our space will require masks. Please check GrubStreet's Covid-19 page for the latest info on masking and Community Levels before visiting in-person.

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.