Immigration and Immigrants

Theo Majka

2nd Term, 2001-2002 Office: St. Joe's 406

(January - April 2002) Office phone: 229-4147

E-mail: Theo.Majka@notes.udayton.edu

Office hours: MWF 3:00-4:15; TTh 1:30-2:50.

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Course Description

This course will examine different dimensions and perspectives on immigration, adaptation, assimilation, and ethnicity. We will focus on studies of social, cultural, and economic adaptation of new immigrants and the second generation. Although emphasis will be given recent immigration to the United States, issues involving immigrants and refugees in other countries will receive some attention. Ethnic change, conflict, and contemporary national and international issues will be explored, with an emphasis on human rights.

This course is intended to be one of the electives for both the Human Rights minor and the Human Rights concentration for an International Studies major. In addition, the course will be particularly helpful for students whose service experiences and future careers will involve working with recent immigrants and their children.

The United States has been experiencing a significant increase in immigration since the changes in immigration laws with the passage of the 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act. New immigration has been concentrated within the past two decades. The number of new immigrants has approached those of the decades of massive immigration from Europe from the 1870s to the 1920s. The number of immigrants arriving during the 1990s was the highest in U.S. history. In addition, international migration continues at high levels due to wars, famines, economic hardships, cultural tensions, and ethnic hostilities.

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Goals of the Course

1. Become knowledgeable about the similarities and differences in the patterns and circumstances of immigration, both internationally and to the United States.
2. Become knowledgeable about the experiences and adaptations of "old" (mostly European) and "new" (mostly Latino and Asian) immigrants to the United States, with an emphasis on economic and cultural adaptations.
3. Become knowledgeable about international experiences of immigration for particular groups and the reaction by "host" nations, with special emphasis on a comparison among European nations and between them and the United States.
4. Understand how public policies towards immigration and immigrants have had an enormous impact on the nature of immigration and their ability to "make it" and adapt to their new country.
5. Examine human rights issues as they relate to the variety of immigration experiences.
6. Examine ethnic conflicts in Europe and Africa and the immense uprooting and migration these have stimulated during the past decade or two.
7. Examine the transformative effects that new immigrants are having on some cities and towns, such as Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and several smaller places, and occupations, such as the building trades, agriculture, apparel, and meatpacking, and the pluses and minuses of these changes.
8. Examine issues of community formation and neighborhoods as these relate to patterns of immigrant settlement and establishment of ethnic-oriented businesses and other institutions.
9. Examine the patterns of interaction between "newcomers" and "established residents" and how interaction encouraged or discouraged or what makes for cooperative or combative interaction.
10. Become knowledgeable about the changes in identity of the newer immigrants and how the meanings of "ethnicity" and "nationality" change.
11. Study several examples of ethnic conflict, both in the U.S. and internationally, highlighting some common patterns and resolutions.
12. Examine the experiences of the second generation, particularly with respect to the crucial questions concerning cultural, economic, and language adaptation. Become aware of the differences in experiences, both among and within immigrant groups.
13. Become knowledgeable about contemporary issues concerning immigrants and the second generation, particularly as these correspond to larger human rights issues.

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Requirements

There will be two midterms. In addition, there will be both a long "analytical commentary" on the readings and several short (2-3 pages) "analytical papers" based on questions coming from the readings. The "analytical commentary" will be handed in for evaluation the next to last day of class and will replace a final exam. It will also be handed in twice earlier in the semester for feedback. Expected length of the "analytical commentary" is around 30 typed pages. It will comprise approximately one-third of your grade. I'll have a handout on both of these assignments early in the semester.

Regular attendance is, of course, expected. Less than regular attendance may adversely affect the final grade. In addition, students missing more than one-third of the classes will have their grade automatically lowered one letter. Finally, students chronically missing class will be asked to drop the course.

In addition, it is required that every student in the course will have completed the prerequisite of either SOC 101 or SOC 204. Any student who has not done so should see me immediately. SOC 352 "Community" or SOC 328 "Racial and Ethnic Minorities" will be accepted as fulfilling the prerequisite. The reason for the prerequisite is that the content of this course, especially the readings, depends on a solid foundation in sociology, anthropology, and/or political science.

There will be a field trip and possibly a guest speaker or two.

Texts

Fritz, Mark, LOST ON EARTH: NOMADS OF THE NEW WORLD. Little, Brown & Co., 1999.

Portes, Alejandro, and Ruben G. Rumbaut, IMMIGRANT AMERICA: A PORTRAIT, 2nd Edition. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996.

Lamphere, Louise, ed., STRUCTURING DIVERSITY: ETHNOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVES ON THE NEW IMMIGRATION. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1992.

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Weekly Reading Assignments

August 26 & Portes & Rumbaut: Chapter 1

September 2 Lamphere: Preface & Introduction

Fritz: Intro & Chapters 1-8 - Begin

September 9 & 16 Portes & Rumbaut: Chapter 2

Lamphere: Article #1 (Stull, et.al.)

Fritz: Intro & Chapters 1-8 - Continue

September 23 & 30 Portes & Rumbaut: Chapter 3

Lamphere: Article #2 (Grenier, et.al.)

Fritz: Intro & Chapters 1-8 - Conclude

October 7 Portes & Rumbaut: Chapter 4

Lamphere: Article #3 (Conquergood)

Fritz: Chapters 9-14 & Epilogue - Begin

October 14 & 21 Portes & Rumbaut: Chapter 5

Lamphere: Article #4 (Hagan & Rodriguez)

Fritz: Chapters 9-14 & Epilogue - Continue

October 28 & November 4 Portes & Rumbaut: Chapter 6

Lamphere: Article #6 (Horton) Fritz: Chapters 9-14 & Epilogue - Conclude

November 11 Portes & Rumbaut: Chapter 7

Lamphere: Article #5 (Goode, et.al.)

MIDTERM II: Monday, November 18

November 25 & December 2 Portes & Rumbaut: Chapter 8

ANALYTICAL COMMENTARY DUE FOR FINAL EVALUATION: Wednesday, December 4.

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