Immigration and the Borders of US Empire

Since the founding of the United States, we have debated and struggled over the boundaries of American nationhood, who may claim the rights and protections provided by the state, and where the lines of inclusion/exclusion are drawn. This course will focus on two interrelated themes. The first is the implementation of immigration and nationality controls designed to manage cross-border traffic and restrict membership in the national community. The second is to explore how the projection of US power beyond its territorial borders (e.g. US empire) has fueled cross-border movement between metropole and colonial/postcolonial zones. We will highlight the ways in which the US’s encroachment of borders outside its territorial domain raises important questions about the meaning and legitimacy of national sovereignty and the fashioning of immigrant “illegality.”