Climate Displacement, Migration, and Mobility

Catalog description

Climate displacement is a critical and growing challenge, with wide-ranging social, economic, cultural, and psychological impacts. This seminar explores how climate change is reshaping human mobility, from cross-border migration to planned relocation and adaptive strategies in place. We examine the drivers of climate-induced displacement, migration pathways, the experiences of Indigenous peoples and other vulnerable populations, and the legal, policy, and governance frameworks that shape responses. The course also considers the role of institutions, finance, and media in framing and addressing climate mobility, and emphasizes equity, resilience, and justice in potential solutions. Through student-led discussions, guest lectures, and research-based assignments, students will engage with the structural forces influencing climate migration and develop tools to analyze and propose informed, actionable interventions. Each three-hour class is designed to balance learning, discussion, and real-world insight. We'll start with a short lecture that introduces the week's topic and connects it to the readings, followed by an open group discussion. Some weeks, we'll work in groups through a case study to see how these ideas play out in practice. In the final hour, a virtual guest expert will join us to share their research or field experience and on the week's topic.