College Seminar (101-7-22)

Topic

Who gets to be a U.S. citizen?

Instructors

katrina quisumbing king
kqk@northwestern.edu
Professor quisumbing king's research and teaching interests lie in topics related to empire, race and ethnicity, citizenship and migration, law, and political and historical sociology.

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 3-410: Tues, Thurs 3:30PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

"Who Gets to Be a U.S. Citizen?"

Today, the United States is confronting questions about who is a U.S. citizen and what criteria should make one eligible for citizenship. The Trump administration has pushed for abolishing birthright citizenship, claiming it is a "magnet for illegal immigration." These are not new debates or questions. Indeed, the root of recent legal debates stems from the end of the U.S. Civil War, when the country redefined the terms of citizenship. The 14th Amendment guaranteed equal citizenship to all those under the jurisdiction of the United States.

This discussion-based seminar is an introduction to the social scientific and historical study of U.S. citizenship. Students will learn the history behind granting citizenship to anyone born in the United States. They explore the history of U.S. citizenship law and learn about the interests and justifications for narrower and more capacious definitions of citizenship. What are the exceptions to birthright citizenship in the United States? How are decisions about and definitions of rights and membership related to ideas of race? Overall, this course will address how the United States has drawn boundaries of membership in racial terms and explore what this means for envisioning future possibilities.

This course is a college seminar. This means that in addition to introducing a specific topic, the course will help support your transition to college life. The course is aimed at improving your academic development and skills.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this class, students should understand the arguments made for and against birthright citizenship over the course of U.S. history. They should be able to explain in what ways citizenship reflects ideas of belonging. Students should be to identify the justifications for boundary-making in today's debates over citizenship and migration.

In addition to providing an introduction to citizenship, this course will help students develop their critical thinking and communication skills. They should develop a sense of ownership over and community in their learning.

Teaching Method

Discussion

Evaluation Method

Participation, short memos and writing assignments

Class Materials (Required)

All materials for this course will be made available on Canvas - no purchase necessary.

Class Attributes

WCAS College Seminar

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: REASON: Pre-registration is not allowed for this class. Please try again during regular registration. Weinberg First Year Seminars are only available to first-year students.
Add Consent: Department Consent Required
Drop Consent: Department Consent Required