LAS207H Introduction to Migration Studies

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This course introduces students to foundational concepts, frameworks, and theories within migration studies, and permits them to benefit from a collection of scholarly research that has shaped and expanded our understanding of the drivers, push and pull factors, as well as the management of international migration. Throughout this course, students will explore a different theoretical and practical question relating to international migration each week. Through interactively addressing these questions in lectures and debates, this course explores the role played by social, cultural, political, economic, legal, and governmental actors in shaping migration and displacement processes. Given the interdisciplinary nature of migration studies (as well as that of displacement studies), students will be assigned readings from political science, international law, economics, and sociology to help them form a well-rounded and comprehensive understanding of the different perspectives and lenses that each discipline adopts in the study of migration and displacement. In order to also grasp international migration patterns, the readings will also present case studies from around the world to provide a comprehensive view of different streams of contemporary migration.
This honors course fosters advanced communication, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ethical decision-making through self-directed learning and innovative problem-solving.