Class code HIST--UA 9186 Name: Prof. Kathryn Lum Instructor Details NYU Home Email Address: [email protected] Office Hours: 13:00-15:00 Thursday Villa Ulivi Office Location: Office # 7 Villa Ulivi Office Extension: 055 5007 317 Semester: Spring 2015 Class Details Full Title of Course: The History of Immigration in the US and Italy from the 1880´s onwards Meeting Days and Times: 15:00-17:45 Thursday Classroom Location: Colletta 1 There are no prerequisites for this course Prerequisites In both Europe and the US, the topic of immigration is highly politicized, Class Description and frequently occupies the center of national and regional debates on identity, citizenship and belonging. On both sides of the Atlantic, the contours of multiculturalism and the question of irregular migration present thorny issues for academics and policy makers. This course will provide a general comparative (US/Europe) introduction to the history of migration, from the late 1880´s to the present day in order to help students develop a basic historical framework that will allow them to more deeply understand contemporary migration policy and debates surrounding integration and multiculturalism. The experiences of a number of European countries will be looked at in depth: the UK, France, Italy, and Germany. Throughout the course, we will be exploring deeper questions of national identity and belonging, both historically and cross-nationally. We will begin by looking at mass Italian migration to the US in the late 19th and early Twentieth Centuries, discussing how the first waves of Italian migrants were categorized and racialized and how they were inserted into the existing racial order in the US. We will learn about the Fascist Period in Italy, and in particular, its Racial Laws and the specificities of the Holocaust in Italy during World War II and how this period has influenced the way that European countries statistically regroup immigrant and minority populations. We then move on to Page 1 of 13 explore the impact of World War II on the Civil Rights Movement and discuss the history of interracial relationships in the light of American anti-miscegenation laws. The early post World War II period also witnessed a rapid increase in migration from former colonies to Europe, particularly to countries such as the UK, France and Germany that needed cheap labour at the time. These migration flows profoundly changed the demographic landscape of Europe and gave rise to deep- routed anxieties about the capacity of European countries to absorb these immigrants. We will look specifically at the experience of the UK. Moving into the contemporary period, we will explore how Italy has transformed itself from a historic emigrant-sending country into one of Europe´s leading immigrant-receiving nations and how it has managed migration to date; discuss the myths and reality of the hotly debated issue of undocumented migration; learn about how migration policy is always gendered and impacts differently upon men and women; gain insight into the highly stigmatized Roma communities in Europe, and study multiculturalism and citizenship policy in Europe and the US through a range of case studies, such as the Muslim headscarf debate. We will look at the specific experience of several other countries including: Switzerland, France Germany and Turkey. We will also learn about how immigrants insert themselves into the labor market in Italy, using two case studies: one from the nearby city of Prato, which has the largest Chinese population in Italy, and a case study of Northern Italy, where Indians now produce the milk and cheese that accompany daily Italian meals. Readings will be complemented by press clippings that relate the topic to current policy discussions and social debates. The course will include field trips to a Sikh place of worship, as well as visits to museums and associations that work immigrants in the province of Tuscany. On completion of this course, students should: Desired Outcomes Be familiar with the history of immigration to Europe Identify and compare the different disciplinary perspectives for studying and analyzing migration Be able to trace the historical development of migration policy in Italy Evaluate critically the current debates and politics shaping migration, citizenship and multiculturalism policy in Europe Use both primary and secondary sources to develop informed arguments on migration in their written work Develop a critical awareness of the gendered impact of migration policy Have improved their ability to think critically, engage in complex reasoning and express their thoughts clearly through their written work Have improved their understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different methodologies in migration studies, including the importance of ethnographic methodology Have mastered a basic understanding of how to research questions in migration studies Recognize works by leading scholars in the field of migration studies Class Participation: 10% Page 2 of 13 Written Assignments (three 5 page reflection papers): 30% Assessment Midterm Exam: 20% Components Oral Presentation of 10 minutes length: 15% Final Exam: 25% Failure to submit or fulfill any required course component results in failure of the class. Assessment Expectations Grade A: The student’s work demonstrates an understanding of the subject that goes beyond assigned course readings. The student writes essays/exam questions that are an original synthesis of source materials, demonstrating the ability to evaluate source material critically. Written arguments are clear, well-organized and well-presented; oral presentations are concise, incisive and supplemented by appropriate visual materials. The student has distinguished himself/herself throughout the course of the semester for his/her contributions to class discussion. Grade B: The student’s work shows a clear understanding of assigned readings and materials covered in class. The student writes clear, well-organized and well-presented essays/exam questions; oral presentations are concise, incisive and supplemented by appropriate visual materials. The student is prepared in class and asks relevant questions. Grade C: The student’s work shows a basic understanding of the subject treated in assigned readings and covered in class. However, written and/or oral work is deficient in one or more of the following areas: clarity, organization or content. The student’s work is generally in need of improvement Grade D: The student’s work shows occasional understanding of the subject treated in assigned readings and covered in class. Written and/or oral work is deficient in one of more of the follow areas: clarity, organization or content. The student does not participate in class discussion and has not frequented the instructor’s office hours. Grade F: The student’s work does not demonstrate understanding of the subject treated in assigned readings and covered in class. Written and/or oral work are either insufficient or are not submitted. The student appears unprepared in class and has not frequented the instructor’s office hours. A= 94-100 Grade conversion A-= 90-93 B+= 87-89 B= 84-86 B-= 80-83 C+= 77-79 C= 74-76 C-= 70-73 D+= 67-69 D= 65-66 F= below 65 Page 3 of 13 Grading Policy Please refer to Assessment Expectations and the policy on late submission of work Attendance: Attendance is expected and required of all students. Any absences will negatively Attendance Policy impact upon your course grade Absences: In case of absence, regardless of the reason, the student is responsible for completing missed assignments, getting notes and making up missed work in a timely manner based upon a schedule that is mutually agreed upon between the faculty member and the student Absence Due to Illness ● If you are sick, please see a doctor (contact the OSL for information). ● Only a medical certificate from a local medical professional will be accepted to justify an absence due to illness ● Within 24 hours of your return to class you must bring this note to the Office of Academic Support, located on the ground floor of Villa Ulivi. We will review the medical certificate and we will notify your faculty via email about your justified absence due to illness ● Absences for short term illness without a medical certificate are not justified and count as unjustified absences. We will not accept a student email or telephone call regarding an absence due to illness. We will not notify your faculty about these absences ● The Office of Student Life, when assisting you in cases of severe or extended illness, will coordinate with the Office of Academic Support to properly record your absences Due to Religious Observance ● Students observing a religious holiday during regularly scheduled class time are entitled to miss class without any penalty to their grade. This is for the holiday only and does not include the days of travel that may come before and/or after the holiday ● Students must notify their professor and the Office of Academic Support in writing via email one week in advance before being absent for this purpose Due to a class conflict with a program sponsored lecture, event, or activity ● All students are entitled to miss one class period without any penalty to their grade in order to attend a lecture, event or activity that is sponsored by NYU Florence or La Pietra Dialogues, Acton Miscellany or the Graduate Lecture series. ● Students must notify their professor and the Office of Academic Support in writing via email one week in advance before being absent for this purpose ● All course work must be submitted on time, in class on the date specified on the Late Submission of syllabus. Work ● To request an extension on a deadline for an assignment, students must speak to the professor one week prior to the due date ● To receive an incomplete for a course at the end of the semester, two weeks before final exams, both the student and the faculty member must meet with the Assistant Director of Academic Affairs to review the request and if granted, they must both sign an Incomplete Contract detailing the terms for completing missing coursework.