Biography

From Syria to Ukraine, the news lately has been filled with deeply emotional and often jarring stories of individuals fleeing their homes. To deepen our historical perspectives, this elective will examine the powerful forces that motivate migration at a range of scales from political conflicts to environmental hazards. We will consider the trends in international migration and its impacts using examples such as the European Union (E.U.), the U.S., and refugee flows across the Mediterranean and from Sub-Saharan Africa. While there are many positive impacts of migration, such as cultural diversity and economic growth, tensions can arise, since international migration not only changes the ethnic composition of populations, but also alters attitudes towards national identity and the concept of the nation-state. Upon taking the elective, students will sharpen their primary source analysis skills, expand their argumentative writing toolkit, and conduct independent research. Honors students will become experts in the topics by reading and presenting selections from additional readings and will consult substantially more sources than non-Honors students in the culminating research projects.

Instructor: Dr. Adil

Note: Honors option available to juniors and seniors.

Prerequisites: Open to juniors and seniors and sophomores if space is available.