CeMaB, the Mario Benedetti Center for Ibero-American Literary Studies at the University of Alicante, announces the opening of a new cycle focused on migrant writers. The inaugural session takes place on Wednesday, January 17, at noon, featuring Paloma Chen, a Valencian writer and journalist of Chinese origin. Chen will deliver a conference centered on hunger, desire, and the journey, sharing insights drawn from her own creative work and scholarly research. Through her talk, she will explore the voices and experiences of writers who navigate intercultural spaces between China and other nations, as well as the ways these perspectives inform and shape literary production.
Beatriz Aracil, director of CeMaB, explains that this cycle will unfold over the coming months. The aim is to connect women’s writing with the broader phenomenon of migration in Europe, creating spaces for dialogue, reflection, and cross-cultural understanding. The event will proceed in person until capacity is reached at CeMaB, with a live stream available for those who cannot attend in person. The streaming option will be offered through the university’s video platform, ensuring broad access for audiences in Spain, the Iberian Peninsula, and beyond through a designated viewing channel (citation: CeMaB live broadcast platform).
Paloma Chen identifies as a Valencian of Chinese origin. Her academic background spans Journalism, Construction and Representation of Cultural Identities, and Philosophy, with studies conducted in both Spain and China. Her research traces the experiences of children of Chinese immigrants in Spain and examines questions of identity, belonging, and the gaze of colonial history in the Sanmao Chronicles trilogy. Chen co-manages a cultural platform dedicated to promoting Chinese diaspora culture in Spanish-speaking contexts, supporting events such as cultural days and the gathering of Chinese communities in Spain. She collaborates with media outlets including La Marea, El Salto, El País, and À Punt, where she writes about art and culture, racism, gender, and migration. In recognition of her work, she received the National Living Poetry Award L de Lírica in 2020 and published a poetry collection, Call to the Silent Majority, in 2022.