Course Description:
In this course, we will ask how immigration policy in the United States is developed and enforced. We will consider the legal rules that regulate citizenship, the power to develop and change immigration policy. We will also consider the processes by which immigration law is enforced. We place these rules in historical context. We will also consider social science research on public views of immigration and citizenship, the dynamics of immigration policy making, and the functioning of immigration courts.
Course Description:
This course introduces students to the central processes and institutions of American politics, and particularly our national politics. Beyond teaching basic concepts about American politics and government, this course will train you to think critically about politics. By the end of this course, you should be familiar with several theoretical frameworks for understanding American politics and will be able to apply those frameworks to new situations. To accomplish these tasks, you will learn how to think about politics like a political scientist: what kinds of questions to ask, how to think through the phenomenon you are trying to observe, and how to think critically about the theoretical arguments scholars are trying to persuade you of.
