The course provides an historical and topical overview of Latina/o migration to the United States. We will examine the economic, political, and social antecedents to Latin American migration, and the historical impact of the migration process in the U.S. Considering migration from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, we will discuss the social construction of race, the gendered nature of migration, migrant labor struggles, Latin American-U.S. Latino relations, immigration policy, and border life and enforcement.

This course analyzes the concepts of race and;racism from an interdisciplinary perspective,;with focus on Latinas/os/x in the United States.;It explores the sociocultural, political,;economic, and historical forces that interact;with each other in the production of racial;categories and racial "difference." In;particular, we focus on racial ideologies, racial;formation theory, and processes of racialization,;as well as the relationship between race and;ethnicity.

This course examines the dramatic emergence of democratic institutions and civil society in East Asia. The primary aim of the class is to help students understand and analyze the process of democratic unfolding in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. We will also evaluate China's recent, albeit limited experiments with democratic practices. We will begin by contrasting Western perspectives of democracy with both traditional and more contemporary Asian understandings of democracy.

Rising inequality, political instability, and;radicalism mark South Asia -- a region of;contested histories, ideologies, and territories.; We will explore the history and causes of;enduring conflicts such as Kashmir and the wars;in Afghanistan, separatist movements in Pakistan,;India, and Sri Lanka, and potential conflicts;over scarce water and energy resources. We will;conclude with analysis of the role of external;powers in South Asia, for example, China and the;U.S., and assess the prospects for peace in the;region.

The silk roads were ancient transportation and trade links that wound their way across the Eurasian continent, or by sea through the South China Sea and Indian Ocean, to Europe. They carried silk, glass, jade, and moved religions and literatures across continents. Today, the new silk roads carry oil, gas, drugs, capitalism, and immigrants seeking better lives.

Elections have been at the core of both the;vitality and fragility of American democracy.;Free and responsive government is hard to imagine;without elections, yet U.S. elections suffer from;low turnout, increasing polarization, invisible;money, gender inequality, partisan;gerrymandering, and new forms of voter;disenfranchisement. This course offers an;overview of American elections by placing them in;historical and comparative perspective.

In this examination of American foreign policy;since 1898, topics include the emergence of the;United States as a global power, its role in;World War I and II, its conduct and interests in;the cold war, and its possible objectives in a;post-cold war world. Particular attention is paid;to the relationship between domestic interests;and foreign policy, the role of nuclear weapons;in determining policy, and the special;difficulties in implementing a democratic foreign;policy.

This course draws on both historical and;contemporary sources to address critical issues;and problems facing cities. Topics are organized;around the following questions: How have cities;come to take their shape and character over time?;How are economic and social inequalities mapped;onto the urban landscape? How are differences of;race, class, and gender negotiated through urban;institutions and community struggles?

The central focus of this course is to explore;theory and organizing practices of grassroots;democracy. Each week the seminar will move back;and forth between historical and theoretical;reflection and reflection upon the experience of;organizing communities. The course is motivated;by citizens acting together to generate responses;to the most challenging questions and issues of;the present.

Why has Latin America struggled to achieve;democratic stability? Why is it the region of the;world with the highest economic inequality? How;have the periodic political and economic crises;allowed for creative experimentation with policy;alternatives to create a more equal and;sustainable social order? This course examines;the political and economic evolution and;transformation of Latin America from the time of;the European conquest until these very days, with;a particular focus on the 20th century.