Affective Politics of Migrations in Autobiografía del algodón by Cristina Rivera Garza

This paper explores how autofictional literature on migration can be a form of political activism by creating an affective political undertone in its narrative strategies. Using Cristina Rivera Garza’s novel Autobiografía del algodón (2020) as a case study, the paper argues that the historical component of the novel creates a collage of political affects through its revaluation of the past, oscillation between past and present, and the unfinished nature of history. Additionally, the paper examines the philosophical meditation on writing and origins within the novel, which contributes to the political affect by constantly negotiating what migration means. Overall, the paper highlights how autofictional literature on migration can transmit political affects to its readers, helping us rethink and reimagine potentially different futures for those affected by migration. This article was published open access under a CC BY licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .