Border Crossings in the Américas

Catalog description

This course explores the geographical, cultural, psychological, and legal challenges of Latin American migrants in their journeys to cross borders and begin a new life in the United States. We examine novels, testimonios, essays, news articles, history, government documents, cultural anthropology, literature, theater and film, in order to understand these challenges. The course is divided into three themes: a brief history of U.S. immigration policy and politics; reasons for and realities involved in border crossings; the challenges and triumphs for migrants once they have reached their destination. How do we conceive these border crossings in cultural, literary, linguistic, political, judicial, as well as personal ways? During this course, we will challenge the borders of our own thinking as we explore themes of hope, fear, uncertainty, stability, belonging, and exclusion. Taught in Spanish.