Sociology

Graduate Seminar on American Immigration

Brandeis University

Spring 2015

Kristen Lucken, Ph.D.

COURSE SYLLABUS

Immigration continues to be one of the most significant forces impacting American society today, influencing the cultural, educational, religious, and political institutions of our social system. Since the passage of the 1965 Hart-Cellar Immigration Act, America has witnessed unprecedented demographic shifts as its borders were opened to Asians, Latinos, Africans and other non-European populations previously denied entry (Foner, Waters, Alba). Currently, almost 13 percent of the American population is foreign born and immigrant youth represent one of the fastest growing sectors of the American population (Suárez-Orozco 2010; 2010 American Community Survey).As successive waves of newcomers arrive on American shores, they begin the process of becoming American, and in turn, impact the culture and fabric of the communities in which they settle.

This course is designed to provide graduate students with a sociological understandingof American immigration bypositioning the American national experience within the broader framework of global migration. Touching on the pivotal themes of gender, ethnicity, race, economic integration and second-generation welfare we will discuss why immigrants migrate from their home territories, where they settle,and what social, religious, and socio-economic patterns are emerging among different ethnic groups. Additionally, the topics of immigration law, religious and ethnic identity maintenance, as well as the significant issue oftransnationalism will be reviewed. This course places a strong emphasis on ethnographic research methodsand is designed to guidegraduate students through an original research project related to the topic of immigration.

Through sociological literature, videos, speakers, in-class exercises, and site visits, we will investigatesociological themes related to gender, race, socio-economic status, generational issues, education, religion, and transnationalism among immigrant populations. Gaining a mastery over the literature and interacting withimmigration professionals will give students both a theoretical and practical understanding of the field. Additionally, graduate students will plan and implement an original research project that requires them to interview three immigrants and frame their experiences within the sociological literature on the topic. By gaining hands-on experience in ethnographic research methods and through exposure to individuals working in the field of immigration, graduate students will build professional skills and experiences that prepare them for their life beyond Brandeis.

Learning Goals:

  • Develop understanding of key theories, debates, and knowledge gaps regarding American immigration and the ability to frame the American experience in the broader context of global migration.
  • Understand how integration models differ between the United States and other nations, and use critical analytical tools to reflect on the challenges and benefits of various national integration models.
  • Develop own research agenda related to the causes and impacts of immigration.

Graduate Course Requirements:

Students are expected to:

  • Complete all readings and actively participate in seminar discussions;
  • Turn in synopsis of weekly readingsand facilitation of one class discussion;
  • Ethnographic Research Paper related to the topic of immigration.

(1) Participation-- Attendance, Active Participation, and Questions: Readings are to be completed before the class period for which they are assigned. Attendance is a crucial aspect of class, and I take attendance each day. Please send me an email if you are unable to attend class due to sickness or emergencies.

(2) Synopsis of Readings and Facilitation of Class Discussion:

Each week, you will draft a one-page summary of 1-2 class readings. Once during the term, you will help to facilitate the class discussion. Please make it a thoughtful, engaging experience for yourself and the class! See course LATTE for presentation criteria.

  • Summarize the main objectives/research questions/scholarly perspective, methodologies, and findings and/or conclusions
  • Provide informed critique, whether positive, negative and/or neutral --link your negative critiques as much as you can to other texts/intellectual camps we've engaged in class (you must provide summary of perspectives brought from outside of class).
  • Draft at least 4-5 thoughtful discussion questions for the class to engage. This allows for much better, more productive discussion!

Please email this to the professor by 9pm the night before class:

(3) Ethnographic Research Paper, 17-20 pages: Due on the last day of classby email and hard copy. This project involves interviewing at least three first- or second-generation immigrants utilizing an interview schedule developed in class, taping and transcribing the interviews, and writing an analytical paper about the findings of your research incorporating the history, theory and themes discussed in class. Signed informed consent forms for each participant, typed transcript of the interview, and an analytical paper must be turned in together for full credit.

Grading Criteria: Graduate students will receive a satisfactory (S) or non-satisfactory (NS) evaluation on all assignments. Detailed feedback from professor will be provided on all assignments throughout the course to guide students through the research process.

University Policy on Academic Accommodations:

If you are a student who hasacademic accommodations because of a documented disability, please contact meand give me a copy of your letter of accommodation in the first two weeks of thesemester. If you have questions about documenting a disability, please contactBeth Rodgers-Kay in the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office (x63470,). Accommodations cannot be granted retroactively.

University Policy on Academic Integrity:

You are expected to be familiar with and to follow the University’s policies on academic integrity (see We will refer any suspected

instances of alleged dishonesty to the Office of Student Development and Conduct.

Class Schedule:

Week 1 Introduction

  • Alejandro Portes and Ruben G. Rumbaut, “Who They Are and Why They Come,” in Immigrant America: A Portrait, (Berkley: U of Cal Press, 2006)1-36.
  • Peter Kvisto and Thomas Faist, Ch. 1-2, “Introduction,” and “Accounting for Immigration Flows,” Beyond A Border: The Consequences of Contemporary Immigration, New York: Sage, 2009: 1-45.
  • Alison Strang and Alastair Ager, “Refugee Integration: Emerging Trends and Remaining Agendas,” in Journal of Refugee Studies, Vol. 23, No. 4 (2010), pp. 589-607.

Week 2Approaches to American Immigration

  • John Bodnar, The Transplanted: A History of Immigrants in Urban America. (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1965).
  • Rudolph Vecoli, “Contadini in Chicago: A Critique of the Uprooted,” The Journal of American History, Vol 51, No. 3 (Dec. 1964), 404-417.
  • Nancy Foner, From Ellis Island to JFK, Introduction and Chapter 1 (1-35).

Brandeis Library Online Access.

  • Peter Kvisto and Thomas Faist, Chapter 7, “The State and Immigration Control. ” Beyond A Border: The Consequences of Contemporary Immigration. New York: Sage, 2009, pgs. 195-223.

Week 3 Integration and Assimilation: Theories and Debates

  • Roger Waldinger, “Transforming Foreigners Into Americans,” in The New Americans.
  • Richard Alba and Victor Nee, “Assimilation,” in The New Americans, Mary Waters and Reed Ueda, eds. (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2007); 124-137.
  • Min Zhou, “Segmented Assimilation: Issues, Controversies, and Recent Research on the Second Generation.”
  • Peter Kvisto and Thomas Faist, Ch. 6, “Multiculturalism: A New Mode of Incorporation.” Beyond A Border: The Consequences of Contemporary Immigration, New York: Sage, 2009, pgs. 161-191.
  • Silvia Pedraza, “Assimilation or Diasporic Citizenship?” Contemporary Sociology, Vol 28, No 4 (Jul., 1999), pp. 377-381.

Week 4 Long-term Integration and Wellbeing

  • Carola Suarez-Orozco, “Moving Stories: Academic Trajectories of Newcomer Immigrant Students,” in Writing Immigration: Scholars and Journalists in Dialogue, Suarez-Orozco, Louie, and Suro, eds. 218-235.
  • Vivian Louie, “Complicating the Story of Immigrant Integration,” in Writing Immigration: Scholars and Journalists in Dialogue, Suarez-Orozco, Louie, and Suro, eds. 218-235.
  • Mary C. Waters and Tomás R. Jiménez, Assessing Immigrant Assimilation: New Empirical and Theoretical Challenges, Annual Review of Sociology, Vol. 31 (2005), pp. 105-125.
  • Claus Mueller, “Integrating Turkish Communities: A German Dilemma.” Population Research and Policy Review, Vol. 25, No. 5/6, Fulbright 2003 Papers (Dec., 2006), pgs. 419-441.
  • Guest Speaker, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition of Boston (MIRA)

Week 5 Challenges to Assimilation:

  • Nancy Foner, “The Social Construction of Race in Two Immigrant Eras,” in In a New Land: A Comparative View of Immigration, (NY: New York university Press, 2005), 11-42.
  • Jemima Pierre. 2004. "Black Immigrants in the United States and the "Cultural Narratives" of Ethnicity." Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power. 11: 141-170.
  • Nazli Kibria, Chapter 3, “Ethnic Options, Ethnic Binds,” in Becoming Chinese American.
  • Tariq Modood, “Post-immigration ‘difference’ and integration: The case of Muslims in Western Europe.” A Report for the British Academy, 2012.
  • In-class video clip and discussion, “Being Forever Foreign: Asian Americans in the U.S.” PBS Documentary Video.

DUE: Outline for Ethnographic Research Paper:

  • What are the ‘big questions’ you are asking?
  • Who do you plan on interviewing?
  • Preliminary bibliography

Week 6Midterm Recess

  • No Class

Week 7 Gender Matters

  • Nancy Foner, “Immigrant Women and Work, Then and Now,” in In a New Land: A Comparative View of Immigration, (NY: New York university Press, 2005), 89-105.
  • Patricia Pessar, “Gender and Family,” in The New Americans, pp. 258-269.
  • Mignon Duffy, “Doing the Dirty Work: Gender, Race, and Reproductive Labor in Historical Perspective,”Gender and Society, Vol. 21, No. 3 (Jun., 2007), pp. 313-336.
  • Jen’nan Ghazal and John P. Bartkowski, “To Veil or Not to Veil? A Case Study of Identity Negotiation among Muslim Women Living in Austin, Texas,” Gender and Society 14:395-417.

Week 8 Contemporary Issues in the Immigration Debate

  • Field trip to two immigrant support organizations
  • DUE: Interview Schedule. You have three weeks to complete your interviews

Week 9Pre- 1965 Immigration

  • Erika Lee, (2005). At America’s Gates: Chinese Immigration During the Exclusion Era, Chapel Hill, NC, University of North Carolina Press, Introduction and Chapter 1-46.
  • Irma Watkins-Owens, (1996). Blood Relations: Caribbean Immigrants and the Harlem Community. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
  • Selections: George Sanchez, Becoming Mexican American.
  • Neil Foley, “Straddling the Color Line: The Legal Construction of Hispanic Identity in Texas, in Not Just Black and White, Foner and Fredrickson, eds., 341-357.

Week 10Post-1965 Immigration

  • Portes and Rumbaut, “From Immigrants to Ethnics,” in Immigrant America: A Portrait, (Berkley: U of Cal Press, 2006), 117-167.
  • Nazli Kibria, “The American Tightrope.”
  • Tomas Jimenez 2008. “Mexican Immigrant Replenishment and the Continuing Significance of Ethnicity and Race” in American Journal of Sociology,Volume 113 Number 6, pp. 527-567.
  • Mary Waters, “Debating Immigration: Are We Addressing the Right Issues?” in Writing Immigration: Scholars and Journalists in Dialogue, 236-250.

Week 11 Passover Recess

  • No Class
  • Complete and transcribe interviews

Week 12 Economic Integration

  • Portes and Rumbaut, “Making it in America,” in in Immigrant America: A Portrait, (Berkley: U of Cal Press, 2006), 87-102.
  • Kaushal, Neeraj, et al, “Immigrants and the Economy,” in The New Americans, 176-188.
  • NYTimes Article on Ethnic Entrepreneurship (for in-class discussion)
  • Barry R. Chiswick, “Top Ten Myths and Fallacies Regarding Immigration,” in Writing Immigration: Scholars and Journalists in Dialogue, Suarez-Orozco, Louie, and Suro, eds., 136-148.

Week 13The Second Generation

  • Nancy Foner and Philip Kasiniz, “The Second Generation,” in The New Americans, pp. 270-282.
  • Portes and Rumbaut, “Growing Up American: The New Second Generation,” in Immigrant America: A Portrait, (Berkley: U of Cal Press, 2006), 244-284.
  • Nazli Kibria, “Ethnic Options and Ethnic Binds: Identity Negotiations of Second-Generation Chinese and Korean Americans,” Sociological Perspectives, Vol. 43, No. 1 (Spring, 2000), pp. 77-95.
  • Kasinitz, Mellenkopf, Waters, and Holdaway, “Conclusion: The Second Generation Advantage,” in Inheriting the City: The Children of Immigrants Come of Age, 342-369.
  • Pakistanis in the UK: Tariq Modood, "Capitals, Ethnic Identity, and Educational Qualifications," The Next Generation, pgs. 185-203.

Week 14 Religion and Immigration

  • Hirschman, Charles, “The Role of Religion in the Origins and Adaptation of Immigrant Groups in the United States,” International Migration Review,38(3), 2004; 1206–1233.
  • Yang, Fenggang & Helen Rose Ebaugh. “Transformations in New Immigrant Religions and Their Global Implications,” American Sociological Review, Vol. 66, No. 2 (Apr., 2001), pp. 269-288
  • Ken Crane, "Latino Churches: Family, Faith and Ethnicity in the Second Generation" Chapter 4 (p.49-79) and Chapter 8 (p. 176-184) Brandeis Library Online Resources.
  • Jonathan Sacks, “Europe’s Alarming New Anti-Semitism,” The Wall Street Journal, October 2, 2014.
  • Guest Speaker—Geraldine Gudefin: Navigating Jewish Identity in France and the U.S.

Week 15Membership and Belonging in a Transnational World

  • Alejandro Portes, “Conclusion: Theoretical Convergences and Empirical Evidence in the Study of Immigrant Transnationalism,” in International Migration Review, Vol. 37, No. 3.
  • Peggy Levitt, Kristen Lucken & Melissa Barnett (2011): Beyond Home and Return: Negotiating Religious Identity across Time and Space through the Prism of the American Experience, Mobilities, 6:4, 467-482.
  • Donna Gabaccia, (1999). Is Everywhere Nowhere? Nomads, Nations, and the Immigrant Paradigm in United States History. Journal of American History, 86(3), 1115–1134.
  • FIRST DRAFT of Ethnographic Research Paper should be completed –this is not due in class.

Week 16Summing it Up

Last Day of Class Summary

DUE: ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPER DUE IN CLASS

Please submit a hard copy in class and email a copy to the professor.