Critical Social Inquiry 0213 - Migration/Mobility in MidEast

The Middle East is not only a source of migration flows - a place people flee, seeking work and/or refuge in Europe and the West - but also a destination for them. Migrations to the Middle East and mobility within it increasingly characterizes this dynamic region. In this course, we examine documented and undocumented, forced and voluntary migrations (labor migrations, refugees, trafficking) in various contexts (Moroccan, Libyan, Turkish, Iraqi, United Arab Emirates, Palestinian, Syrian). We critically analyze the processes of power that structure these contemporary flows and migration policy. We also delve into the perspectives of migrants, their communities at home, and their "hosts." Throughout, we ask how the intersections of citizenship, class, race, ethnicity, religion, gender and sexuality affect the experience of migration. Students examine these dynamics through careful evaluation of ethnographies and the ethnographic method itself in active class discussions, short writing assignments, and an independent research paper.

Power, Community and Social Justice Independent Work Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research Students are expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time.