Coll/People on the Move
Term: Spring 2022 - Full Term (01/25/2022 - 05/09/2022)
Grade Mode: Letter Grading
CRN: 53674
Times & Locations
| Start Date | End Date | Days | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/25/2022 | 5/9/2022 | M | 3:10pm - 6:00pm | HORT 422 |
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE: MIGRATION IN THE MODERN ERA - COLLOQUIUM
HIST 797 sec. 01
People on the move: that phrase sums up much about the modern world. Since the 1840s, over 60 million Europeans have left their homes, but so, too, have over 100 million Asians, Southeast Asians, Africans and Latin Americans. Some migrants left voluntarily; others left as a last resort, becoming “refugees” fleeing war, natural disasters, political oppression and even genocide. The U.S. – a “nation of immigrants” – became home to many who took part in the “exit revolution” but migrants headed for other destinations as well, and often kept moving. The US has also been home to major internal migrations: the westward migration of white colonial settlers; the forced migration of Native Americans; the Great Migration of African Americans from south to north in the early 20th century; the “Dust Bowl” migration during the 1930s; the relocation and internment of Japanese Americans in WW2.
Why do people leave their homes? Where do they go, and why? How does migration shape their identities and their ties to their homelands? What kinds of communities do migrants create? What kind of welcome have they received in their new homes? How do governments shape migration patterns, not only through their immigration laws but also through their foreign and commercial policies? How do race, gender, ethnicity, and sexuality shape the migrant experience? These are some of the questions that we’ll explore together.
All students will devise and carry out research projects that investigate some aspect of the migrant and refugee experience between the mid-19th century and the present. While much of our focus will be on migrations to and within the US, students are welcome to explore other regions as well. The course will focus on migrants’ experiences, but also investigate major policy shifts at the local and international level. Hopefully, we will include at least one field trip to explore the local history of migration. Fulfills Group I for History Major requirement.