Esther Álvarez-López
Empathic Imagining and Solidarity in Latinx Transnational Migration Narratives
Polish Journal for American Studies, vol. 18 (2024) 11-28.

Abstract: In the context of displacement and violence that characterizes migration, this article highlights the critical role of Latinx writers in responding to the immigration and refugee crises through literature that fosters empathy and solidarity, presenting new ways of encountering others and imagining human relationships as resistance to oppression and inequality. Drawing on a cognitive approach to literature, the analysis explores how literary texts can contribute to enhance social intelligence, promote justice, and inspire prosocial action by evoking empathy and correcting misconceptions. Additionally, it explores the strategies employed by writers to elicit emotional responses from readers to ultimately raise their awareness about immigration and encourage solidarity. In the last section, I examine two novels that exemplify a pedagogy of solidarity (Gaztambide-Fernández) and the transformative power of engaging in solidary relations. The article argues for the ethical and social value of literature in fostering a more just and inclusive society.

Keywords: immigration, empathy, emotion, cognitive schemas, solidarity

DOI: 10.7311/PJAS.18/2024.02

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