ANTH 3500 - Immigration and Cultural Politics

Hours: 4
In this course, we will examine the cultural construction of national belonging and explore recent struggles over access to citizenship and social inclusion for immigrants in the United States. While entering through political and mass media debates regarding immigration and immigration reform, the class will dig deeper to discover the cultural, racial, and ideological dynamics at play in this conflict. With a particular focus on Latino/a and Somali immigration into the United States and linked concerns over the cultural difference of “illegal aliens” and refugees, we will explore the following questions: What causes transnational migration? Why is immigration sometimes celebrated (“we are a nation of immigrants”) and sometimes feared? What is assimilation, and what fosters immigrant social and political incorporation? How do responses to recent immigration compare to the historical reception of migrants in this country? What is unique, if anything, about current waves of immigration and the reactions to them?
Prerequisites: Junior standing or permission of instructor.
Notes: Paired with HIST 3800 to fulfill the dyad requirement.

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ANTH 3500 - Immigration and Cultural Politics