Examines the shifting kaleidoscope of immigration to the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries. Considers immigrant motives, cultures and experiences; changing cultural and political ideas about the value of immigration; the relationship of immigration and immigration policy to ideas about the American national project; the creation and consequences of immigration law. We focus on both the human drama of immigration and on making sense of the statistics and policy arguments regarding immigration.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the historical contours of immigration to the U.S. and American responses to immigration, as well as basic terminology related to this;
  • Assess the argument and evidence in academic articles and distinguish between different types of argument and evidence (e.g. quantitative vs. qualitative, primary vs. secondary sources);
  • Synthesize information from different academic articles on related topics;
  • Locate and make use of academic, peer-reviewed scholarship in immigration history in their own research projects;
  • Contextualize individual experiences of immigration with scholarship and data on historical patterns.

In this course, you will

  • Engage in text-based discussions that hone your skills in assessing evidence and ask you to think creatively about immigrant experience and reception of immigrants;
  • Get peer comments on your research and see what other people are working on;
  • Conduct a small research project based in family history.**听 You might, for example,听use databases like Ancestry.com and/or interview relatives, and then use academic scholarship on immigration and more to contextualize an individual鈥檚 immigration experience. For examples, see my student showcase webpage, /faculty/hulden-vilja/student-showcase . (**alternatives available if family history does not work for you)