How has migration transformed American society? This writing-intense capstone seminar explores patterns and experiences of migration from colonial times to the present. Exploring different historical periods, we will learn about the history of the legal regulation of immigration, the political debates surrounding the role of immigration in American society, the production and reproduction of national identity, the negotiation of ethno-racial and religious difference, and the experience of immigrants in settling and creating a new life in a new society. We will take a transnational and transcalar approach to understanding migration, which we will consider in relation to nation-building, empire and colonial expansion, war, and labor. We will explore migration experiences by reading recent historical literature and considering a rich array of primary source material, including fiction, memoirs, government documents, oral history interviews, films, maps, and music.
Course Requirements:
This course requires regular participation in lectures and discussion sections, timely completion of reading and writing assignments, and active involvement in writing workshops. There is no midterm or final exam. As a course that fulfills the Upper-Level Writing Requirement, it includes the following components:
- 25-40 pages of polished (i.e., revised) writing;
- sequenced writing assignments that build on one another over the course of the semester;
- substantial writing-related instruction and discussion;
- an expectation that you will revise at least 50% of your writing;
- at least three opportunities for you to receive feedback on your writing in progress from me or your peers.
Intended Audience:
This course is accessible to all undergraduate students, especially upper-level students. It is particularly valuable for students in ethnic studies programs who would like to do research on a specific community of displaced people - e.g., Vietnamese refugees, Syrian refugees - and have the course count for their program requirements.
Class Format:
Seminar