Values & Ethics: Immigration Politics and Policy, A View from Europe
Elected officials and policymakers spend much time on issues raised by the movement of individuals across borders. Some of these issues are directly tied to the management of population movements (e.g., immigration policy, border control and responses to humanitarian refugee crises). Others have to do with the economic, social and political consequences of current and past population movements (e.g., anti-immigrant backlash, the rise of far-right populist parties, urban riots and racist policing practices). This class provides students with both background knowledge and a conceptual tool box to unpack how moral, ethical and political realism inform policy choices around these issues. While the U.S. case will be examined, students will also spend much time learning about and discussing events in Western Europe. A knowledge of European politics is not required but a keen interest in learning about post-industrial democracies beyond the U.S. is a must.
