Between Worlds: Trauma, Identity, & Intercultural Encounters

The Department of Languages, Literatures, & Cultures welcomes Arjan Kamburi, Albanian scholar and an expert in clinical psychology and intercultural mediation trained at the University of Padua (Italy).

In his talk, Kamburi invites students to think about migration as more than crossing borders: it can be an emotional and psychological turning point that reshapes identity, language, and a sense of belonging. The talk will explore how trauma can emerge before departure, during transit, or after arrival, and how these experiences can affect relationships, self-understanding, and everyday life in a new cultural context. It will also focus on intercultural encounters: how they can become spaces of misunderstanding, but also how, when approached with care and ethical attention, they can foster recognition, trust, and belonging. Marking the 35th anniversary of Albanian migration to Italy, this conversation is especially timely and resonant.

Sponsored by the Department and the School of Arts & Sciences.