History 399: A Century of Immigration: 1897-1997
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HIST 399: Immigration
CRN: 40732
Credits: 04
Instructor: Scarpaci V
Time/Location:
15:00-16:50 UH / 214 MCK
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Course Description
A Century of Immigration: 1897-1997, will examine the universal and unique
patterns and themes of migration to the U.S. and will consider the similarities
and differences of a variety of pre 1945 and post 1965 immigrant groups
Required Texts
Lynn Stephen, The Story of PCUN and the Farmworker Movement in Oregon
(Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon, 2001)
Course Packet---A selection of short readings (excerpts) from a variety
of sources has been gathered, made into a course packet, and is available
at the book store. Assignments from the course packet are denoted with
an * in the syllabus.
In Addition there are readings placed on Electronic Reserves which are
accessed (through a password) on the Library web page-- Assignments from
this group of readings are denoted with an + in the syllabus.
Recommended Reading: Provides a conceptual overview:
Nancy Foner, From Ellis Island to JFK: New York's Two Great Waves
of Immigration (New York, Russell Sage Foundation, 2000).
Additional Recommended Readings to expand your horizons about the complex
and challenging process of immigration (copies are available in the bookstore):
Nabeel Abraham and Andrew Shryock, Arab Detroit: From Margin to Mainstream
(Detroit, Wayne State University Press, 2000)
Nancy Foner, ed. New Immigrants in New York , revised and updated
edition (New York, Columbia University Press, 2001)
Melvin G. Holli and Peter d'A. Jones, Ethnic Chicago: a Multicultural
Portrait (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans Publishing, 1995)
Alejandro Portes and Ruben Rumbaut, Immigrant America, A Portrait
(Berkeley, University of California Press, 1996)
Roger Waldinger, Ethnic Los Angeles (NY, Russell Sage Foundation,
1997)
Assignments
Complete reading assignments by the date they are listed in the
syllabus.
Cooperative on-going class exercise. Cut out or Xerox articles
from newspapers and magazines that deal with attitudes towards immigrant
groups, OR activities of immigrants in the United States. We will discuss
these manifestations as part of the continuing interplay of immigrant
groups in America. Students' class participation and contributions to
this exercise will serve as a Bonus grade valued up to 5 points added
to your final grade for the course.
Class project:
Each student will read one of the following slim studies and apply its
contents to answer a question on the final exam. Students may work in
reading groups of 2 to 3 persons. All these books are available in the
bookstore and are on reserve in the library.
Steven J. Gold, From the Workers' State to the Golden State: Jews
from the Former Soviet Union in California (Boston, Allyn and Bacon,
1995)
Jon Holtzman, Nuer Journeys Nuer Lives: Sudanese Refugees in Minnesota
(Boston, Allyn and Bacon 2000)
Jo Ann Koltyk, New Pioneers in the Heartland: Hmong Life in Wisconsin
(Boston, Allyn and Bacon, 1998)
Johanna Lessinger, From the Ganges to the Hudson: Indian Immigrants
in New York City (Boston, Allyn and Bacon, 1995)
Sarah J. Mahler, Salvadorans in Suburbia: Symbiosis and Conflict
(Boston, Allyn and Bacon, 1995)
Patricia R. Pessar, A Visa for a Dream: Dominicans in the United States
(Boston, Allyn and Bacon, 1995)
Alex Stepick, Pride Against Prejudice: Haitians in the United States
(Boston, Allyn and Bacon, 1998)
Isabel Valle, Fields of Toil: A Migrant Family's Journey (Pullman,
Washington State University Press, 1994)
Course Schedule
| Week 1 |
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June 25: Course Overview
Immigration themes and patterns--Twin Peaks
Immigrants at the Turn of the Century: jobs demographics, settlement,
origins, group comparisons
June 27: Immigrants at Work:
+Linda Tamura, The Hood River Issei: An Oral History of Japanese
Settlers in Oregon's Hood River Valley, Part Four Labor pp. 63-87
*Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, "The Lawrence Textile Strike pp.
127- 151
+Nancy Foner, "Immigrant Women and Work in New York City,
Then and Now," pp. 95-113
video: Union Town (Finnish workers in Astoria, OR)
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| Week 2 |
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July 2: Immigrant Women
*Golda Meir, "I Remember How Scared I Was," pp. 35-41
*a boat person, "I Am Alive to Tell You this Story..."
pp. 41-43
*Lintelman, Joy, "America is the woman's promised Land'":
Swedish Immigrant Women and American Domestic Service," pp.
9-23.
* Santos, Bienvenido N. "Immigration Blues" pp. 3-20
+ Perrette Hondagneu-Sotelo, Reconstructing Gender through Immigration
and Settlement," pp. 98-147.
Video: Hot Summer Winds (Japanese American farm family)
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| Week 3 |
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July 9: Immigrant Ties to the Homeland
*Myron Bohdon Kuropas, "Ukrainian Chicago: The Making of a
Nationality Group in America," pp. 169- 213
+ Patricia Pessar and Pamela Graham, "Dominicans: Transnational
Identities and Local Politics," pp. 251-273.
Video: Transnational Fiesta (Peruvian Andean immigrants in Washington,
D.C. return to their hometown, Cabanaconde, to sponsor the annual
patron saint fiesta.)
July 11: Acculturation
Guest speaker, Gerald Rasmussen, co-author of Oregon Danish Colony:
Ethnic assimilation in Junction City 1902-1952--
*Harry Roskolenko, "America, The Thief," pp. 151-178
*Harriet Pawlowska, "The Lessons Which Most Influenced My Life...Came
from My Parents," pp. 229- 234
*Coelho, Art Papa's Naturalization. pp. 99-103
+Andrew Shryock, "Family Resemblances: Kinship and Community
in Arab Detroit," pp. 573-610
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| Week 4 |
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July 16: Closed Doors: Economic and Political fallout and Immigration
*Carey McWilliams, "Exit the Filipino," p. 265.
+ George and Martha Kiser, "Repatriation During the Great Depression,"
pp. 33-66.
+ Alex Stepick III, 'The Refugees Nobody Wants: Haitians in Miami,"
pp. 57-82
Video: Ten Cents a Dance
July 18: Mid Term Exam
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| Week 5 |
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July 23 Immigrants in Wartime
+Judy Yung, Chapter 5, "In Step: The War Years, 1931-1945,"
pp. 223-277.
Guest speakers, Robert Kono, U.S. concentration camp internee
and author of The Last Fox: A Novel of the 100th/442nd RCT
Peggy Nagae, member of the Japanese American Citizens League National
Redress Committee that recommended congressional legislation for
Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II and lead attorney
in re-opening the World War II case of Yasui v. United States. This
historical suit involved Minoru (Min) Yasui, who intentionally violated
the military curfew imposed upon Japanese Americans to test its
constitutionality.
July 25: Post WWII Immigrants
+Ruben G. Rumbaut, " Passages to America: Perspectives on the
New Immigration," pp. 208-244
*Roger Waldinger, "From Ellis Island to LAX: Immigrant Prospects
in the American City," pp. 1078-1086.
+Mehdi Bozorgmehr, Claudia Der-Mertirosian and Georges Sabagh,
" Middle Easterners: A New Kind of Immigrant," pp. 345-378.
Take home final question distributed, due on August 13th.
Important Note: Late papers will not be credited towards the
final exam grade.
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| Week 6 |
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July 30: New to America, continued
+ Nancy Foner, "Immigrant Commitment to America, Then and now,
Myths and Realities," pp. 27-40.
+Pyong Gap Min "Koreans: An "Institutionally Complete"
Community," pp., 173-199.
Videos: So Far From India and Another America (Korean businesses
in inner cities and their African American patrons)
class may be scheduled in Knight Library's Media Center.
August 1: We do the work, the Harvest of Shame syndrome?
*Cesar Chavez, "The Organizer's Tale," pp. 155-166.
Lynn Stephen, The Story of PCUN and the Farmworker
Movement in Oregon, booklet.
Video: The Oregon Story: Agricultural Workers on reserve in Media
Center, Knight Library
Video: Showdown at Century City (immigrant janitors on strike in
LA)
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| Week 7 |
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August 6: Selective Assimilation
Guest speakers: Thao Xiong, Hmong Association of Oregon will discuss
preserving Hmong traditions in Oregon and Hung Leong will discuss
his connections to Vietnam. There will also be a short traditional
Hmong dance demonstration.
August 8: Ethnic Continuity and Change
+ William Lockwood and Yvonne Lockwood, "Continuity and Adaptation
in Arab American Foodways," pp. 515-550
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| Week 8 |
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August 13: in-class discussion of book assignments
--come prepared to discuss: what do these studies tell us about
the new immigration? How do these immigrant experiences relate to
the patterns and themes of a Century of Immigration?
Review for Final Final Exam Take Home Question Due
August 15 Final Exam 5:30 - 7:20 p.m.
Exams will consist of short essay questions. Please use blue/green
books.
Course grades will be based on the following percentages:
Mid-term exam (July 18th) = 35%
Take home final question (due August 13th) = 20%
Final exam = 45%
Bonus factor from class participation and newspaper article presentations=
up to 5 points added to your course grade.
Students wishing "instant" news about their final and
course grades should bring a stamped, self addressed envelope or
postcard to the final exam and I'll mail them out as soon as I have
recorded the grades.
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