LGLS 123B — Immigration and Human Rights

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Examines U.S. immigration practices policy in the context of international human rights treaties, social movements, historical dynamics, political struggles, and global practices, with some attention to other states' immigration policies. This course focuses on the how the daily interactions of societal institutions and roles is continuously constructing immigration and human rights systems and ideas. As such, much of the class work in this course involves practical exercises in which students experience the decision making and roles of human rights lawyers, organizers and policy leaders in the context of current social and cultural controversies, ideologies, and events. So, students will be introduced to the generally applicable skills, concepts, values, and attitudes involved in human rights litigation, movement organizing, and policy making. This course explores tensions between social movements, domestic politics, and international law in guiding immigration reform, and challenges students to assess the sources of rights and the winners and losers (in terms of efficacy and accountability) of rights talk. Usually offered every spring.