Fall 2015
Sociology 122a
The Sociology of American Immigration
Lown 301--M, W, Th 12-12:50 pm
Instructor: Kristen Lucken, Ph.D.
Email: klucken@brandeis.edu
Tel: 617-470-0016
Office Hours: Wed., 1-3pm or by appointment
Office: Mandel 125
Graduate TA: Nick Monroe
nicholas.c.monroe@gmail.com
Nick Tel: 773-392-8932
Nick’s office hours: By Appointment
Course Description:
In August, 2015, presidential candidate Donald Trump heated up the debate on
immigration by suggesting that birthright citizenship, a law protected by the Fourteenth
Amendment, be abolished. Opponents called this remark un-American. As a nation of
immigrants, President Obama declared, the United States thrives economically when
entrepreneurial newcomers replenish immigrant stocks. With an estimated 42 million
immigrants composing 13% of the U.S. population, immigration is understandably one of
the most significant issues facing American society today. As newcomers integrate into
the cultural, educational, and political institutions of our social system, they, in turn,
impact the culture and fabric of the communities in which they settle.
This course is designed to provide students with a sociological overview of immigration
to the United States, touching on the pivotal themes of gender, race, transmigration, and
second-generation welfare. We will discuss why immigrants migrate from their home
territories, where they settle in this country, and how social and economic integration
patterns emerge. The topics of immigration law, religious and ethnic identity
maintenance, and ethnic entrepreneurship will be reviewed. This course offers a unique
opportunity to learn ethnographic research methods, and to develop a short research
project addressing one segment of the immigrant population in greater Boston.
Undergraduate Course Requirements:
Students are expected to:
(1) Complete all readings and actively participate in seminar discussions (10%);
(2) Weekly reading synopsis and facilitation of class discussion (15%);
(3) Midterm examination (35%); and
(4) Ethnographic Research Paper of 7-8 pages (40%).
(1) 10% 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 we take attendance each day. Three unexcused absences will result
in the deduction of a whole letter grade from your overall score (An ‘A’ will be reduced
to a ‘B’). Five or more unexcused absences mean that you will fail the course. Please
send Professor Lucken and TA Nick Monroe an email if you are unable to attend class
due to sickness or emergencies.
1
(2) 15% Synopsis of Readings and Facilitation of Class Discussion:
You will draft a 2-page outline of the day’s readings (see below) and will help to
facilitate the class discussion using questions. Please make it a thoughtful, engaging
experience for yourself and the class! See course LATTE for grading criteria.
1) Summarize the (i) main objectives/research questions/scholarly perspective, (ii)
methodologies, and (iii) findings and/or conclusions
2) 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).
3) Draft at least 2-3 thoughtful discussion questions for the class to engage. This
allows for much better, more productive discussion!
Please email this to the professor and TA by 9pm the night before class:
(3) 35% Mid-term Take Home Exam: Handed out Oct 1. Due in class on Oct.7.
Please submit a hard copy in class and email a copy to the professor and TA.
Exam Essays are graded on the following criteria:
• Organization and fluency of written work
• Strength of argument
• Attention to detail, and accuracy of facts provided
• References from readings, properly cited (name, page #)
(4) 40% Ethnographic Research Paper 7-8 pages: (Due on the last day of class, Wed.,
Dec. 9, no later than 1:00 pm in my mailbox.) Must obtain final approval for project by
October 22 . This is a multi-stepped project involving interviewing one first- or secondgeneration immigrant utilizing an interview schedule developed in class, taping and
transcribing the interview, and writing an analytical paper about the findings that
incorporates theory and themes covered in class. Along with your final paper, an
interview schedule, signed informed consent form, and typed transcript of the interview
must be turned in together for full credit.
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.
University Policy on Academic Accommodations: If you are a student who has
academic accommodations because of a documented disability, please contact me
and give me a copy of your letter of accommodation in the first two weeks of the
semester. If you have questions about documenting a disability, please contact
Beth Rodgers-Kay in the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office (x63470,
brodgers@brandeis.edu). Accommodations cannot be granted retroactively.
2
University Policy on Academic Integrity: You are expected to be familiar with
and to follow the University’s policies on academic integrity (see
http://www.brandeis.edu/studentlife/sdc/ai). We will refer any suspected
instances of alleged dishonesty to the Office of Student Development and Conduct.
CLASS SCHEDULE
Week 1
Th, Aug. 27
Introduction
Course Overview
M, Aug. 31 Why People Migrate
• 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.
W, Sept. 2 Theories of Migration
• Peter Kvisto and Thomas Faist, Beyond a Border, Chapter 1, LATTE
Th, Sept. 3
• Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, 2013. Americanah, Alfred Knopf, Chapters 1, 8, and
9.
• Due: Short synopsis of your family immigration history (1 single-spaced
page)
Week 2
Uprooted or Transplanted?
M, Sept. 7 LABOR DAY—NO CLASS
W, Sept. 9
• John Bodnar, The Transplanted: A History of Immigrants in Urban America.
(Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1965).
Th, Sept. 10 Overview of Immigration in America
• Nancy Foner, “Who They Are and Why They Have Come,” (Ch.1), in From Ellis
Island to JFK, Introduction and Chapter 1 (1-35), Brandeis Library Online.
Week 3
Integration and Assimilation: Theories and Debates
M, Sept. 14 ROSH HASHANAH—NO CLASS
W, Sept. 16
• Richard Alba and Victor Nee, “Assimilation,” in The New Americans, Mary
Waters and Reed Ueda, eds. (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2007): 124137.
3
•
Roger Waldinger, “Transforming Foreigners Into Americans,” in The New
Americans, Mary Waters and Reed Ueda, eds. (Cambridge: Harvard University
Press, 2007).
Th, Sept. 17
• Min Zhou, “Segmented Assimilation: Issues, Controversies, and Recent Research
on the Second Generation,” in The Handbook of International Migration, 196211.
Week 4
Education and Long-term Wellbeing
M, Sept. 21
• 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.
• For Discussion: New York Times article
• RECOMMENDED: “Education,” in The New Americans, Mary Waters and Reed
Ueda, eds. (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2007); 241-257.
W, Sept. 23 YOM KIPPER—NO CLASS
Th, Sept. 24
• Zhou and Kim, “Supplementary Education in the Case of Chinese and Korean
Immigrant Communities.
•
Mary C. Waters and Tomás R. Jiménez, Assessing Immigrant Assimilation: New
Empirical and Theoretical Challenges, Annual Review of Sociology, Vol. 31
(2005): 105-125.
•
DUE: Outline for Ethnographic Research Paper:
o What ‘big questions’ are you asking?
o Who do you plan on interviewing?
o Preliminary bibliography (3-4 sources)
Week 5
Challenges to Assimilation: Ethnicity and Race
M, Sept. 28
• 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.
W, Sept. 30
• Portes and Rumbaut, “From Immigrants to Ethnics,” in Immigrant America: A
Portrait, (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006): 117-167.
4
Th, Oct. 1
• Pierre, “Black Immigrants in the United States and the ‘Cultural Narratives’ of
Ethnicity.
TAKE-HOME EXAM HANDED OUT IN CLASS (Due on Oct. 7)
Week 6
Contemporary Issues of American Immigration
M, Oct. 5
• Immigration Debate
W, Oct. 7
DUE IN CLASS--Midterm Exam
•
In-Class Film
Th, Oct. 8
• Thomas J. Espenshade, “Unauthorized Immigration to the United States,” in
Annual Review of Sociology, Vol. 21 (1995): 195-216.
Week 7
Gender Matters
M, Oct. 12
• 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): 89105.
• Patricia Pessar, “Gender and Family,” in The New Americans, Mary Waters and
Reed Ueda, eds. (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2007); 258-269.
W, Oct. 14
• Mignon Duffy, “Doing the Dirty Work: Gender, Race, and Reproductive Labor in
Historical Perspective,” Gender and Society, Vol. 21, No. 3, (Jun., 2007), pp. 313336.
Th, Oct 15
• Barajas and Ramirez "Beyond Home-Host Dichotomies: An Examination Gender
Relations in a Transnational Mexican Community," Sociological Perspectives,
Vol. 50, No. 3 (Fall 2007), pp. 367-392.
DUE: Expanded bibliography for research paper. Please include at least 8 academic
sources—4 from class readings and 4 from academic journals or books. Information on
websites such as Wikipedia do not count as an academic source.
Week 8
Asian Immigrants
M, Oct. 19
• Erika Lee, At America’s Gates: Chinese Immigration During the Exclusion Era,
(Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2005): Introduction and
Chapter 1-46.
5
W, Oct. 21
• Nazli Kibria, “Ethnic Options and Ethnic Binds: Identity Negotiations of SecondGeneration Chinese and Korean Americans,” Sociological Perspectives, Vol. 43,
No. 1 (Spring, 2000), pp. 77-95.
Th, Oct. 22 Second Generation
• Min Zhou and Susan Kim, “After-School Institutions in Chinese and Korean
Immigrant Communities: A Model For Others?” MPI Publication, May 3, 2007.
•
DUE: Interview Schedule. You have three weeks to complete your interview
Week 9
Latino and Caribbean Immigrants
M, Oct 26
• George J. Sanchez, Becoming Mexican American (New York: Oxford University
Press, 1993): selections.
W, Oct 28
• Thomas Jimenez. 2008. “Mexican Immigrant Replenishment and the Continuing
Significance of Ethnicity and Race, in American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 114,
No. 6, pp. 527-667.
Th, Oct. 29
• Excerpts from The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisernos and Breath, Eyes,
Memory, by Edwidge Danticat
Week 10
African and Middle Eastern Immigrants
M, Nov. 2
• Randy Capps, et. al, Diverse Streams: African Migration to the United States,
Migration Policy Institute, 2012.
W, Nov 4
• Ajrouch and Jamal, “Assimilating to a White Identity: The Case of Arab
Americans,” International Migration Review, Vol. 41, No. 4 (Winter, 2007), 860879.
Th, Nov. 5
• Excerpts, Mitra Shavarini, Desert Roots: A Journey of an Iranian Immigrant
Family, 2012.
Week 11
Economic Integration
M, Nov 9
• Kaushal, Neeraj, et al, “Immigrants and the Economy,” in The New Americans,
Mary Waters and Reed Ueda, eds. (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2007):
176-188.
6
•
Barry R. Chiswick, “Top Ten Myths and Fallacies Regarding Immigration,” in
Writing Immigration: Scholars and Journalists in Dialogue, Suarez-Orozco,
Louie, and Suro, eds., (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2011): 136-148.
W, Nov. 11
• Portes and Rumbaut, “Making it in America,” in Immigrant America: A Portrait,
(Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006): 87-102.
• NYTimes Article on Ethnic Entrepreneurship
Th, Nov. 12
• Mary Waters, “Debating Immigration: Are We Addressing the Right Issues?” in
Writing Immigration: Scholars and Journalists in Dialogue, (Berkeley:
University of California Press, 2011): 236-250.
Week 12
The Second Generation
M, Nov. 16
• Nancy Foner and Philip Kasiniz, “The Second Generation,” in The New
Americans, Mary Waters and Reed Ueda, eds. (Cambridge: Harvard University
Press, 2007); 270-282.
• Interview should be transcribed this week! Must turn in with paper.
W, Nov. 18
• Portes and Rumbaut, “Growing Up American: The New Second Generation,” in
Immigrant America: A Portrait (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006):
244-284.
Th, Nov. 19
• Kasinitz, Mellenkopf, Waters, and Holdaway, “Conclusion: The Second
Generation Advantage,” in Inheriting the City: The Children of Immigrants Come
of Age, 342-369.
Week 13
Thanksgiving
M, Nov. 23
W & Th Nov. 14- 15 Thanksgiving Break
You should be working on your paper this week
Week 14
Religion and Immigration
M, Nov. 30
• 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.
7
W, Dec. 2
• 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
Th, Dec. 3
• 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 15
Summing it Up
M, Dec. 7
• Alejandro Portes, “Conclusion: Theoretical Convergences and Empirical
Evidence in the Study of Immigrant Transnationalism,” in International
Migration Review, Vol. 37, No. 3.
W, Dec. 9 LAST DAY OF CLASS --SUMMARY
DUE: Ethnographic Research Papers at 10:00 am
8
9