Sociology of Immigration Sociology 322 Winter 2016

Professor: Elizabeth Onasch Teaching Assistant: Yixue Shao Contact Information: [email protected], Office: 515 Clark, room 202 [email protected], Office: Scott Hall 218 Office Hours: (Onasch) Tuesdays 3-5 pm, Thursdays 10am-12pm, or by appointment (Shao) Mondays 2-4pm Class Meeting: Mondays and Wednesdays, 5-6:20pm Location: University Hall 102

Course Description

This course examines immigration to the United States and Europe through a sociological lens, with attention to the social, political, and historical contexts of immigration and the relationships between migrants and existing institutions and identities. The course will first outline the factors shaping migration patterns and compare immigration policies across time and space. Next, we will explore debates around assimilation and other models of immigrant incorporation, and consider how gender, race, and ethnicity affect the reception and integration of migrants. Finally, we will examine the consequences of immigration and transnationalism on nation-states and diasporic communities.

Students will also gain experience in conducting qualitative research and learn how individual immigrant narratives relate to the social patterns and theories discussed in the course.

Textbook and Materials

We will be reading articles and book chapters throughout the quarter, which will be available on Canvas and, when applicable, through the course reserve at the library.

Course Goals

The goal of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the different political, social, and economic influences on and consequences of immigration. At the end of the course, students will be equipped to:

 Describe different factors that lead to migration as well as the types of migration  Demonstrate and understanding of how immigration and immigration policy relate to national identities and sovereignty, as well as racial formations  Explain and evaluate different theories of immigrant incorporation  Critically analyze the role of race and gender in immigrant reception and incorporation  Conduct qualitative interview research  Relate individual biographies to broader social patterns

Course Format

Most class sessions will include a short lecture and discussion, some sessions will also include reading group work. The course will incorporate multi-media materials, such as film and news clips.

We will be covering topics that may be socially sensitive; therefore, it is crucial that we remain respectful of one another’s points of view during the course.

Course Requirements and Grading

Class Attendance and Participation (15%)

Class discussions are an important part of the course and these discussions will be much more productive if students are present and prepared to share their thoughts and questions on the readings. The participation grade will be based on the quality of your comments and questions in class.

Students may miss one class with no penalty. If you need to miss class more than once, please let me know ahead of time. After the first absence, each addition class that you miss without an excuse that I have approved ahead of time will cost 3% of your total course grade. A student who misses four or more classes will fail.

If you miss class, please consult your fellow classmates for notes on what we covered in that session. You may also come to office hours (or make an appointment) to discuss what you missed.

Discussion Questions (10%)

In order to facilitate discussion and engagement with the readings, students will submit one question through Canvas by 7 pm the day before each class (Sunday and Tuesday). You must turn in a total of 10 questions, which means you can choose five days during the quarter during which you will not turn in a question.

Your questions must relate to the readings. Questions could, for example, address concepts from one of the readings, parallels or contrasts between the readings, or connections between one or more of the readings and current events.

Questions that are submitted on time and demonstrate an engagement with the readings will get full credit, and late, non-submission, or submission of questions that do not reflect any of the readings will result in zero points.

Current Event Essay (15%)

Students will sign up for a class date during the quarter when they will write a short (3-4 pages, double- spaced, size 12 font) essay, due on Canvas by the beginning of the chosen class. These essays should explore a current event related to immigration. If you have an idea of a current event on which you would like to write, but you’re not sure if it is appropriate, you may discuss your idea with me before completing the assignment.

In your essay, you should:

 Provide a thorough description of the event and its backstory (political and social context).  Discuss how the course shapes the way you understand or think about this event. For example, does your chosen event pose a challenge to the readings, does it might provide an example of a concept from the readings? Please be specific when referring to course readings or lectures.  Argue for why this event is significant for our understanding of race.

Be prepared to discuss your essay with the class.

Mid-term Exam (20%)

The mid-term exam will be an in-class written exam, consisting of short essay questions. The exam will test comprehension of concepts that we have explored up to this point.

Interview Project (20%)

The interview project is designed to demonstrate the connections between individual experiences and the broader social patterns and histories discussed in the class. The project will also provide students with the opportunity to gain experience in conducting qualitative research. As a class, we will design a questionnaire based on the topics we have covered. Students will then conduct a semi-structured interview with an individual who has immigrated to the United States.

Final Paper (20%)

Students will write a final paper relating their interview data to concepts and theories from the course. The final papers should be between 7-10 pages in length and will be evaluated according to how well they engage with the course materials, in addition to organization, clarity of the argument, and grammar.

Grading (15%) Class Attendance and Participation (10%) Discussion Questions (15%) Current Event Essay (20%) Midterm Exam (20%) Interview Project (20%) Final Paper 100%

Grading scale: A 93-100 C+ 77-79 A- 90-92 C 73-76 B+ 87-89 C- 70-72 B 83-86 D 60-69 B- 80-82 F < 60

Late work

Please speak to me in advance of a deadline if you believe you will not be able to turn in an assignment on time. All assignments that are turned in late without any an approved excuse will automatically lose half a grade for each of the first three days they are late (e.g., an A paper that is one day late will become an A- paper), and then a full grade for each day after that.

Academic Integrity

Students are required to abide by Northwestern University's academic integrity policy. Student work in this class may be analyzed electronically for violations of this policy and may also be included in a database for the purpose of testing for plagiarized content. We will discuss the Northwestern policy, as well as rules for citation during the course. You may also find more information at:

 http://www.northwestern.edu/provost/policies/academicintegrity  http://www.weinberg.northwestern.edu/handbook/integrity/

Student Accommodations

Any student requesting accommodations related to a disability or other condition is required to register with AccessibleNU ([email protected]; 847-467-5530) and provide the professor with an accommodation notification from AccessibleNU, preferably within the first two weeks of class. All information will remain confidential.

Laptop and Cellphone Policy

Students may use laptops in class to take notes and refer to course readings. Students may not surf the web, chat, skype, or use the computer for other non-class related activities during the class session. Students should also refrain from using their cellphones during the course; please have your phone on silent and do not read or send text messages. Using a computer for non-class related activity or using cell phones in class disrupts everyone’s engagement will negatively affect your participation grade.

Course Schedule and Readings

Please read all assigned readings. Any changes to the reading list, which may be made if we need to move more quickly or spend more time on any topic, will be announced ahead of time in class and on Canvas.

Week One

January 4: Introduction to the Course

January 6: Why do people migrate?

Reading:

 Bean, Frank D and Gillian Stevens. (2003). Migration flows, theories, and contexts. In F. D. Bean, and G. Stevens (Eds.), America's newcomers and the dynamics of diversity (pp. 27-41). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.  Students’ chosen news articles on current refugee crises

Week Two: Overview of Immigration Policy and Citizenship

January 11: Civic and Ethnic Nations in Europe

Reading:

 Castles, Stephen. (2006). Guestworkers in Europe: A Resurrection? International Migration Review, 40(4), 741-766.  Koopmans, Ruud, Paul Statham, Marco Giugni, and Florence Passy. (2005). Contested citizenship immigration and cultural diversity in Europe. Chapter 1. 31-73.  Brubaker, Rogers. (1992). Citizenship and Nationhood in France and Germany. Introduction. 1-20.

January 13: Immigration and Citizenship Policy in the US an Beyond

Reading:

 Skrentny, J., Gell-Redman, M., & Lee, J. (2012). Japan, the United States, and the Philosophical Bases of Immigration Policy. American Behavioral Scientist, 56(8), 995-1007.  Lowell, Lindsay B. (2010). A Long View of America’s Immigration Policy and the Supply of Foreign-Born STEM Workers in the United States. American Behavioral Scientist, 53(7), 1029-1044.  Akbari, A., & Macdonald, M. (2014). Immigration Policy in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States: An Overview of Recent Trends. International Migration Review, 48(3), 801-822.  Handouts on STEM Act

Week Three: The Construction of Undocumented Migration

January 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day- NO CLASS

January 20: The Construction of Undocumented Migration

Readings:

 Golash-Boza, T. (2011). Immigration Nation: Raids, Detentions, and Deportations in Post- 9/11 America. Introduction: We are Them: How Punitive Immigration Policies Negatively Affect Citizens, Families, and Communities.  Chavez, L. (2013). The Latino Threat: Constructing Immigrants, Citizens, and the Nation. The Immigrant Marches of 2006 and the Struggle for Inclusion -- Dreamers and Anchor Babies.  Ngai, Mai. (2014). Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America. Introduction.

Week Four: Multiculturalism and Immigrant Integration Policy

January 25: Multiculturalism

Reading:

 Vertovec, S. and S. Wessendorf (eds.) (2010). The multiculturalism backlash: European discourses, policies and practices. ). Introduction and Chapter 2 (by Will Kymlicka), 1-49  Koopmans, R. (2013). Multiculturalism and Immigration: A Contested Field in Cross-National Comparison. Annual Review of Sociology, 39, 147-169.  Williams, R. (2015). Religion and Multiculturalism: A Web of Legal, Institutional, and Cultural Connections. Sociological Quarterly. 56(4), 607.

January 27: Immigrant Integration Policy in Europe

Reading:

 Suvarierol, Semin. 2012. "Nation-Freezing: Images of the Nation and the Migrant In Citizenship Packages." Nations and Nationalism 18:210-229  Goodhart, David. 2004. "Too Diverse?" Prospect Magazine.  Adamson, Fiona B., Triadafilos Triadafilopoulos, and Aristide R. Zolberg. (2011). "The Limits of the Liberal State: Migration, Identity and Belonging in Europe." Journal of Ethnic & Migration Studies 37:843-859.

Week Five: Debates over Assimilation and Segmented Assimilation

February 1: Debates over Assimilation and Segmented Assimilation

Reading:

 Wierzbicki, Susan, Frank D Bean and Gillian Stevens. (2003). “The New Immigrants and Theories of Incorporation.” In F. D. Bean, and G. Stevens (Eds.), America's Newcomers and the Dynamics of Diversity. 94-113.  Portes, Alejandro and Min Zhou. (1993). “The New Second Generation: Segmented Assimilation and Its Variants.” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 530: 74-96.

 Silberman, Roxane, Richard Alba, and Irène Fournier. (2007). “Segmented Assimilation in France? Discrimination in the Labour Market Against the Second Generation.” Ethnic and Racial Studies. 30(1): 1-27.

February 3- MIDTERM

Week Six: Incorporation and Religion

February 8: Measuring the Political, Economic, and Linguistic Incorporation of Immigrants

Reading:

 Alba, Richard. (2004). Language Assimilation Today: Bilingualism Persists More Than in the Past, But English Still Dominates. Lewis Mumford Center for Comparative Urban and Regional Research, University at Albany, Albany, New York.  Kogan, Irena. (2006). “Labor Markets and Economic Incorporation among Recent Immigrants in Europe.” Social Forces, 85: 697-721.  Simon, Patrick. (2012). "French National Identity and Integration: Who Belongs to the National Community?" in Transatlantic Council on Migration, edited by Migration Policy Institute.

February 10: Religion and Immigration

Reading:

 Zolberg, Aristide R. and Litt Woon Long. 1999. "Why Islam Is Like Spanish: Cultural Incorporation in Europe and the United States." Politics & Society 27(1):5-38.  Korteweg, Anna C. and Triadafilos Triadafilopoulos. 2013. "Gender, Religion, and Ethnicity: Intersections and Boundaries in Immigrant Integration Policy Making." Social Politics 20(1): 109–136.  Mora, G. C. (2013). Religion and the Organizational Context of Immigrant Civic Engagement: Mexican Catholicism in the USA. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 36(11), 1647-1665.  Selod, Saher. (2015). “Citizenship Denied: Racialization of Muslim American Men and Women Post 9/11,” Critical Sociology, 41: 77-95

Week Seven: Focusing on the Role of Race and Ethnicity in Immigration and Integration

February 15: Symbolic Ethnicity and Ethnic Projects

Reading:

 Gans, Herbert J. (1979). “Symbolic ethnicity: The Future of Ethnic Groups and Cultures in America” Ethnic and Racial Studies, 2(1): 1-20.  Waters, Mary C. (1996) “Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only?” in Sylvia Pedraza and Rubén Rumbaut (eds.), Origins and Destinies: Immigration, Race and Ethnicity in America, pp. 444- 454.

 Zhou, Min. (2004). “Are Asian Americans Becoming White?” Contexts 3(1): 29-37  Treitler, Vilna Bashi. (2013). The Ethnic Project: Transforming Racial Fictions into Ethnic Factions. Chapter 1, pp. 1-17.

February 17: Race and Immigration

Readings:

 Waters, Mary C. (1994). “Ethnic and racial identities of second generation black immigrants in New York City.” International Migration Review 28(4): 795-820.  Lee, Jennifer and Frank D. Bean. (2004). “America's Changing Color Lines: Immigration, Race/Ethnicity, and Multiracial Identification,” Annual Review of Sociology, 30: 221-242.  Mora, Christina G. (2014). Making Hispanics: How Activists, Bureaucrats, and Media Constructed a New American. Introduction.

Week Eight: Perspectives on Transnationalism

February 22: Citizenship, Care, and Activism

Reading:

 Bloemraad, Irene. (2004). Who Claims Dual Citizenship? The Limits of Postnationalism, the Possibilities of Transnationalism, and the Persistence of Traditionalism. International Migration Review, 38(2): 389-426.  Yeates, Nicola. (2005). “Global Care Chains: A Critical Introduction.” Global migration perspectives, 44: 1-20.  Bandy, Joe. (2004). “Paradoxes of Transnational Civil Societies under Neoliberalism: The Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras.” Social Problems 51(3): 410-431.

February 24: Transnational Communities

Reading:

 Levitt, Peggy. (2001). The Transnational Villagers. Introduction. pp. 1-28.  Portes, Alejandro. (2000). “Globalization from Below: The Rise of Transnational Communities.” in Don Kalb, Marco van der Land, Richard Staring, Bart van Steenbergen, and Nico Wilterdink (eds.), The Ends of Globalization: Bringing Society Back In, pp. 253-270.  Sandu, D. (2005). “Emerging transnational migration from Romanian villages.” Current Sociology, 53(4), 555-733

Week Nine: Immigration: A Challenge to the Racialized Nation-State?

February 29: Europe

Reading:

 Grosfoguel, Ramon and Eric Mielants. (2006). "The Long Duree Entanglement between Islamophobia and Racism in the Modern/Colonial/Capitalist/Patriarchal World System: An Introduction." Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociology of Self Knowledge 1:1-12.  Soysal, Yasemin Nuhoglu. (1994). Limits of Citizenship: Migrants and Postnational Membership in Europe. Chapter 1  Triandafyllidou, Anna. (1998). “National Identity and the ‘Other.’” Ethnic and Racial Studies, 21(2): 593-612.

March 2: The United States

Reading:

 Shapira, Harel. 2013. Waiting for José: The Minutemen’s Pursuit of America. Introduction, Belonging in America. Pp. 1-26, 145-152.  TBA

Week Ten READING WEEK

March 7: Conclusions (no reading)

March 14th: Final papers due by 7pm