American Studies - A Monograph- Narrating Contested Lives The Aesthetics of Life Writing in Human Rights Campaigns

Within the nascent field of interdisciplinary human rights studies, this volume explores activist autobiographies as collaborative projects within the context of human rights campaigns. It sheds light upon the intricate relationship between the aesthetics of generic framing and the ethics of discursive representation for stakeholder mobilization. Special attention is given to the geopolitical nexus that affects the collaboration between activists, co-authors, and corporate sponsors. 'Narrating Contested Lives' analyzes U.S.-based campaigns on women's, children's, and minority rights led by Waris Dirie, Fadumo Korn, Ishmael Beah, Emmanuel Jal, Somaly Mam, and Halima Bashir. Situated within the realm of Transnational American Studies, this study uncovers the geographical, linguistic, and ideological border crossings that these campaigns and their reception are embedded in.