Immigration in US History

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

This course traces the rise of immigration to the United States, restrictions placed on it, and the changing notions of citizenship and meanings of race applied to immigrants of African, Asian, Latin American, and European background. Topics explored include migration patterns and meanings, theories of migration, the history of the idea of the “illegal alien,” the relationship between race and citizenship status, the transformation of American life by immigrants, the class-based and gendered aspects of the immigration experience, and—not least—the way that historical context helps us understand current immigration issues. Each student will do original research using both secondary and primary sources. The final paper for the course will be built around the original research of class participants on the historical context of a contemporary immigration issue.