Crossing Lines

Antje Ellermann is a professor of political science and the founder and co-director of the Centre for Migration Studies at the University of British Columbia.Frederik Byrn Køhlert is an associate professor of English and film at Edinburgh Napier University.Sarah Leavitt is an associate professor at the School of Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia, where she has developed and taught comics creation classes since 2012.Mireille Paquet is a professor of political science and holds the university research chair in immigration policies at Concordia University.

“Crossing Lines is the book that I didn’t know I needed until I read it. The authors and artists in this collection delve into themes of belonging and non-belonging, the ongoing challenges migrants face when trying to acquire citizenship in settler-colonial contexts, and more. The comics were at turns heartfelt, funny, enraging, and poignant. I simply loved this book.” - Ethel Tungohan, York University, author of Care Activism: Migrant Domestic Workers, Communities of Care and Movement-Building “This collection brings together the moving personal stories we might expect on this topic with wholly unexpected – and no less moving – comics that draw on humor and wonder, giving us such surprises as talking birds and abstract shapes on the move across borders. Crossing Lines showcases how comics are a vast medium that has the capacity to convey urgent, timely stories about human migration in ways that can make us see, feel, and act differently.” - Candida Rifkind, University of Winnipeg, co-author of Graphic Refuge: Visuality and Mobility in Refugee Comics

• Introduction by the Editors 1. To/From Kathleen Gros (artist), Erin Goheen Glanville, Biz Nijdam, and Sofiyah Saleh2. Crossing LinesJonathon Dalton (artist), Alexia Bloch, Benjamin Goold, Sara Ania Pustół, and Sara Sehic3. Migratory BirdsDoug Savage (artist), Chandima Silva, Gabriele Dumpys Woolever, Miu Chung Yan, and Ayaka Yoshimizu4. Greener Grass?Hannah Myers (artist), Maria Cervantes, Suzanne Huot, and Hongxia Shan5. In Search of Bruce LeeEmily Chou (artist), Mahashewta Bhattacharya, Ishita Tiwary, and Gaoheng Zhang6. The Waiting Room Scarlet Wings Kaili (artist), Nancy Clark, Mariève Deschamp-Band, Ibukun Kayode, and Daniel Smyth7. Butterfly Jess Pollard (artist), Benjamin Bryce, Neda Maghbouleh, Gada Mahrouse, and Tori Yang8. Belonging Alyssa Hirose (artist), Leonora C. Angeles, Natasha Damiano, Markus Hallensleben, and Sean Lauer