Listed in: Anthropology and Sociology, as SOCI-231
Debates about immigration often implicate “culture.” Do immigrants share our cultural worldviews and moral orientations? What will happen to the culture of “mainstream” society—the symbols, myths and traditions that anchor our sense of peoplehood—when immigrants move in, changing the distribution of ideas, values, and beliefs in our neighborhoods and cities? To be sure, immigrants and their descendants often worry about culture, too, and lament being stuck between cultural worlds that are, at times, not straightforwardly compatible. More concerningly, immigrant-origin people often encounter rigid cultural boundaries (e.g., in the form of prejudice) that forestall their inclusion in greater society. The classical theory of assimilation was developed over a century ago to wrestle with these questions and challenges—and it will, along with its many successors, be the focus of this course. During the semester, we will discuss the long history of assimilation theory in sociology and adjacent fields, consider its problematic origins, and map how newer theoretical models (e.g., neo-assimilationism, segmented assimilation theory) have pushed sociological analyses of “cultural assimilation” in a more productive and tenable direction. At the same time, we will chart some of the limitations of these newer approaches to theorizing assimilation and discuss potential paths forward that bring the study of international migration into conversation with cultural and cognitive sociology.
Limited to 25 students. Fall semester. Assistant Professor Karim.
How to handle overenrollment: Preference will be given to Sociology and Anthropology majors, then juniors and seniors.
Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: An emphasis on written work, readings, independent research, oral presentations, and group work.
Course Materials