Europe Responds to the Refugee Crisis: Germany

(1 Credit Hour) · Undergraduate

Having led the European response to the refugee crisis instigated by the Syrian Civil War, Germany provides an instructive though by no means typical case study. This course provides an opportunity for students to explore various aspects of Germany's current policies toward refugees and immigrants and to place them within a wider European context. Via Zoom, the group will meet with federal, state and local governmental officials, civil society groups, and representatives of international organizations. The issues to be explored include: Germany's policies toward asylum-seekers, the relationship between these policies and the European Union, policies to integrate refugees and migrants into German society, and the political impact of these policies. The seminar is designed to assess the efficacy of current policies, and identify best policy practices going forward. At regular intervals, we will have the opportunity to place our findings within a broader comparative context that includes U.S. refugee policies.