Seth Michelson to Discuss His New Book, ‘Hope on the Border: Immigration, Incarceration, and the Power of Poetry’ Michelson’s discussion will be held Thursday, Nov. 6 in Northen Auditorium.

By Abby Harlan
October 28, 2025

Seth Michelson, associate professor of Spanish at Washington and Lee University, will discuss his new book, “Hope on the Border: Immigration, Incarceration, and the Power of Poetry,” at 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6 in Northen Auditorium, Leyburn Library. The event is free and open to the public, with light refreshments being served to the attendees.

The book, released by Morehouse Publishing earlier this month, investigates the experiences of undocumented youth currently being held within various detention centers in the United States. Using an immersive journey through America’s largest family detention center, Michelson aims to showcase the aspirations and struggles of immigrants while simultaneously encouraging readers to champion for better treatment of these individuals.

“It is a non-partisan, extensively researched examination of immigration policies and practice,” Michelson explains, “dating back to at least their inception as federal concern in 1875.”

The book came about from decades of research, including the three years that Michelson spent visiting one of America’s restrictive maximum security detention centers, where he conducted interactive poetry workshops with the facility’s unaccompanied and secluded youth.

Michelson’s book is planned to release in a variety of languages, including Spanish and German.

Michelson has been a part of the W&L faculty since 2014. Throughout his career, he has published both original poetry and poetry in translation, and he founded the Center for Poetic Research, where he currently holds a directorial position. Michelson received a bachelor’s degree in writing seminars and Latin American studies from John Hopkins University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in writing (poetry) from Sarah Lawrence College. Additionally, Michelson holds both master’s and doctorate degrees in comparative literature from the University of Southern California.