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Immigration has been a highly debated and controversial topic for many years, following the displacement of large numbers of people due to war, persecution, or economic hardship, all of which has been exacerbated by the global pandemic. In the US specifically, the Trump administration has brought questions around immigration acutely to the fore with such issues as the border wall between the US and Mexico, the so-called “Muslim ban,” and the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detention centers. In each of these cases, the legality of these measures has been questioned and contested.
In this seminar, we will approach legal frameworks around immigration from a cultural studies perspective. We will look at the history of immigration law and some of its precursors (such as the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 and the policies and regulations around the reservation system). In addition, we will discuss such topics as undocumented migration, citizenship, deportation, and sanctuary cities, as well as the roles that race, class, gender, and sexuality play in these issues.
Rather than simply considering specific instances of immigration law, however, we will also ask what law actually is and what it does, and how we can approach it from a cultural studies perspective. The course materials for this seminar will include legal history and theory, critical race theory, border studies, films and documentaries, and cultural theory. |
