Migration, Displacement, and Education

Catalog description

Migration has long shaped societies, economies, and education systems, influencing policies and lived experiences across the globe. This course explores the intersections of international migration, displacement, education, and policy, with a focus on how migration impacts children, youth, and their communities. We examine key theories of migration and incorporation while critically analyzing issues such as border securitization, forced displacement, and the educational experiences of migrant and refugee learners in a variety of international contexts, including the US. The course also engages with contemporary displacement crises, the role of schools in shaping inclusion and exclusion, and the evolving definitions of refugee status and durable solutions. Through an interdisciplinary lens, students will develop a nuanced understanding of migration’s complexities, including its connections to climate change, global governance, and shifting legal frameworks. The course emphasizes migrant agency, advocacy, and alternative migration futures, encouraging students to critically engage with equity, justice, and human rights in migration discourse. As part of the course, students are encouraged to design their own final project related to the topic of migration based on their personal interests.