History Like You’ve Never Seen It: Students Turn Interviews Into Stunning Graphic Novels
This summer, the Georgetown Qatar library is the home of an exciting collection of graphic novels about historical events such as war, migration, and political upheaval, offering unique insight on the impact of these events on the lives of everyday people and the generations that follow. But they are not part of a new library collection, they are the outcome of an innovative course taught on campus: History and the Graphic Novel.
Graphic novel display in the library
In “Geminiano,” John Carlos Burog tells his father’s story of migration and resilience
“Between Stone Houses and City Lights” by Rokaiah Aldobashi
“Ambushing Adventure with Cesar de Larrea Cevallos,” by Emilia Pacheco De Larrea
“Devil of a Child” by Rinad Al-Khalifa
Taught by Dr. Karine Walther, Associate Professor of History, the course studies graphic novels as secondary history resources. “Graphic novels can show history, not just describe it. There’s a unique emotional weight when you see history unfold through art, it feels more personal and real than just reading facts or dates,” said Mohamed Jaski, a culture and politics major with a minor in history, who was one of 12 students enrolled in the class.
Teaching history in novel and interesting ways is not new to Dr. Walther, who was voted “Faculty Member of the Year” by the graduating class at this year’s Tropaia senior award ceremony. “I first took Professor Walther during my freshman year for proseminar, and since then, she’s remained my absolute favorite professor,” said Jaski, who took a total of four classes with Walther, culminating in this course in spring of his senior year.
Dr. Karine Walther receiving “Faculty Member of the Year” award at Tropaia
Cutting Edge Technology at the Heart of the Course
Another cornerstone of the class was a technical workshop on how to use Canva, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, and Artificial Intelligence to generate images and develop storyboards for their graphic novel, taught by Associate Director of the Library Robert Laws. “The course introduced us to so many diverse graphic styles, which inspired me to blend techniques in my own way,” said Jaski. His graphic novel, titled “Maryam,” which explores the loss and grief of war, blends Marvel-style design with a transition to stark black-and-white visuals for a dramatic, immersive feel.
Excerpts from “Maryam” by Mohamed Jaski
“Seeing the students take ownership of the history-making process is always the best part of a class,” said Dr. Walther. “In this class, they interviewed a member of their family or a community member, and translated those memories into a graphic novel. Although I guided them through the process of creatively engaging with their own history in conversation with historical texts, they were the ones who made this class all that it could be.”
Excerpts from “The Craftsman” by Aamna Asim about her grandfather’s life
“We taught each other, shared resources, and pushed each other to improve. There was a beautiful sense of collaboration,” shared Jaski, who was also able to offer his peers support through his role as an assistant in the Innovation Lab, a library-based technology lab with specialized software and equipment. “Many students booked sessions with me to brainstorm, finalize their edits, and polish their visuals,” he added.
Jaski at work in the Innovation Lab with Mirta Lendić and Library Director Jamillah Scott-Branch
Jaski, (L.) and Robert Laws (Center, R.) with other Lab assistants in front of the Innovation Lab
Exceptional Resources and Course Support
The course culminated in an exhibit of student work in the Library, which, due to its essential role in supporting the class, had become an extension of the classroom. “It played a key role in this course, both in terms of accessing graphic novels and providing space for collaboration,” Jaski explained. “A lot of students used the library as a creative space for drafting, scanning, and editing their graphic novels.”
“The class was made possible through the ongoing support of the library staff, who helped the students at every stage of the process,” said Dr. Walther. In addition to advice provided by Laws and Jaski, Library Coordinator Mirta Lendić organized the display space, printed and bound the novels, and created materials to help promote the display campus-wide.
The graphic novels produced were also printed professionally by the GU-Q bookstore and gifted to the students as a tangible reminder of the power of creative expression in academic settings. “The course transformed my understanding of historical storytelling,” recalled Jaski, who saw the class as an important culmination to his time at GU-Q. The sentiment, he said, was shared by his classmates. “We all showed up to the exhibition during the madness of graduation week, which I think speaks volumes about how much we loved the course and our professor.”