Citizen Nation

Hope you have a relaxing Thanksgiving break! Here are the plans for the last 2 weeks of the fall semester – a close look at the current debate over immigration, naturalization, and refugee programs.

Tues 11/29 – The “Silent New Deal.” Reading: GC p. 264-287 and RV p. 217-233. Guest speaker: Luis Chaves, US-CIS Lawrence Field Office, to help us understand the current immigration/naturalization process.

Update: 10 Steps to Naturalization brochure from US-CIS

Thurs 12/1 Citizens v. “Illegals.” Reading: RV p. 246-257 plus “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant” (Jose Antonio Vargas, NYT 6/22/11). Also take a look at Vargas’s website, DefineAmerican.com and/or his Twitter feed, @joseiswriting. If you’re curious about the refugee vetting process, here’s an official explanation. And just for fun, check out the very different Google results you get when you search “illegal aliens” vs. “undocumented immigrants” (2 different terms for the precise same group of people).

Update: 2015 maps and stats on National and State Trends on Immigration (Pew Research)

Due in class: Response Paper #5. Prompt: What are some of the fundamental problems in the current US immigration system? What are some of the proposed solutions? What are some of the perspectives in our political debate about immigration, naturalization, and refugee resettlement? How does immigration reform (or lack of immigration reform) affect you personally? What do you think/hope will happen in the next four years?

Bonus video: “Illegals is Not a Noun,” journalist Maria Hinojosa on MSNBC on 11/4/16

Tues 12/6 Citizen Lightning Round. Everyone will have precisely 2 minutes for a “Lightning Round” presentation on your CITIZEN web essay (10 points). Check the guidelines document for the options and grading criteria. Also due: an abstract + keywords for your project (150 words minimum / 200 words maximum — 10 points).

Thurs 12/8 Course Wrap-Up and Final Exam Review. Due: any finalized, revised version of your CITIZEN web essay.

Due in class: Response Paper #6 = course reflection paper. The student learning outcomes of this course were:

• Develop a theoretical and interpretive framework for the concept of citizenship and how it has changed over time in the US
• Analyze and compare key episodes in US history in light of dynamic or competing definitions of American citizenship
• Explain the development of the US & MA constitutions in context of historical political processes, including: convention, drafting, ratification, amendment, judicial rulings, challenge, protest, and reinterpretation
• Trace the expansion of the boundaries of American citizenship by constructing a well-researched historical narrative
• Craft a historically informed personal understanding of one’s own citizenship

How well have you achieved each of these outcomes? What elements of the course helped your learning the most? The least? Are you more likely to vote or be politically involved/aware as a result of this course? What would your advice be to the students in next semester’s class?

Tues 12/13 – Final Exam, 8:30 – 11:30 am

Download Final Exam Study Guide