QUEENS COLLEGE
MACAULAY HONORS COLLEGE SEMINAR 2
HNRS126 Se Section 1W3A Wed. 1:40-4:20 Honors Hall Rm. 12
Professor Donald Scott
Office: Powdermaker Hall Rm. 352ZZ
Phone: 718 997 5353
Office Hrs. Tu – Thurs, 3:00 -4:00 and by appointment
Email: Donald.Scott@qc.cuny.edu, Dms42242@gmail.com
ITF: Tsai-Shiou Hsieh
Office Hrs.: Wed. 9:00-3:00
Honors Hall, Room 20
Tel. 718-997-3145
Email: tsaishiou@gmail.com
http://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/scott12/ (Course site)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
In the 40 years since the passage of a new, broadly inclusive immigration act in 1965, New York City (and, arguably, the nation) has been and continues to be transformed. This course takes as its starting point, this “new” migration and examines some of the demographic, spatial, economic, political and cultural dimensions of a constantly changing New York City. We will examine contemporary theories, debates and research topics in immigration and urban studies. We will look at such things as immigrant labor markets and economies, racial and ethnic relations, religion and identity neighborhood formations and political incorporation and the much vexed question of “assimilation” and “Americanization” and the complex issue of the 1.5 and second generation.
Course Objectives:
1. Gain an understanding of how Post 1965 immigration has transformed and continues to transform almost every aspect of New York City.
2.Gain familiarity with a range of contemporary theories concerning immigration, including such concepts as ethnic succession, segmented assimilation, trans-nationalism, hybridity, etc.
3. Gain facility in presenting and discussing complex ideas in class and in written work.
4. Learn to conduct social and archival research and to critically analyze and interpret dataㄡ
Course Readings:
Required Books:
Foner, Nancy, From Ellis Island to JFK: New York’s Two Great Waves of Immigration,
Cahan, Abraham, The Rise of David Levinsky
Orsi, Robert, Madonna of 115th Street: Faith and Community in Italian Harlem, 1880-1950
Henry Goldschmidt, Race and Religion among the Chosen Peoples of Crown Heights
These books are required and should be purchased and are available in the College bookstore.
In addition, a number of important essays and scholarly articles are required. They are available on the course e-portfolio site. They should be brought to the relevant class meeting and should be downloaded or on your computer. (Instructions to follow)
Course Requirements:
This is a seminar, organized around the careful and critical reading and discussion of a series of key texts in immigration studies. This means that attendance, participation, and thorough preparation for class are essential. We will read approximately 100 pages a week. Come to class prepared to discuss the assigned readings, to ask questions, and to listen to the comments and questions of your fellow students.
Participation: (15%)
You must attend class consistently and be prepared to discuss the assigned readings thoughtfully. Occasionally there will be in –class writing exercises and/or short assignments.
Discussion Leading: 15%
Students will be assigned one day to give a 12-15 minute oral presentation on the assigned for the day. You can be creative in your approach, including visual aids – not required – but be sure to address the main point or key argument in the assigned readings, discuss your response to the material and stimulate class discussion by raising at least three questions for class discussion.
Online Discussion Board Responses 20%
We will have an online site for this class where you can post responses to the assigned readings. You are required to post at least SEVEN responses before the end of term. Each response must be approximately 300 words in length, and should reflect an informed and thoughtful reading of the assignment. Each response must be posted before noon (12pm) on day the relevant reading assignment is due.
Essays: 20% (Due March 22) You will be asked to write a 5-6 page analytical essay on one of three possible essay topics.
Group Project (neighborhood study/website): 25%
– The class will be divided into four groups, and each group will conduct an study of a topic or aspect concerning Astoria, Queens –e. g. demographic change, Ethnic, racial, and religious diversity and change, work and economy, the changing city-scape, etc. Your research will focus on a specific phenomenon, treated as a basis for larger social analysis. 1) As the semester progresses, the whole class will design a website presenting your findings. In addition you will each write a final 7-8 page essay summarizing your research. The project will also involve a mandatory trip/walking tour of Astoria as well as periodic research assignments.
– The class will be divided into four groups, and each group will conduct an ethnographic study of a particular religious organization in Flushing, Queens. Your research will ideally focus on a specific ritual or community event, treated as a basis for a larger social analysis. As the term progresses, the entire class will design a website presenting your findings, and you will each write final papers summarizing your research. The project will also involve a mandatory class trip/walking tour of Flushing, and periodic research assignments.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Feb. 1 Course Introduction
Feb. 8 A Historical and Literary Prelude
Nancy Foner, “Who They Are and Why They Have Come, in From Ellis Island to JFK: New Yorks Two Great Waves of Immigration, Chapter 1, 9-35
Abraham Cahan, The Rise of David Levinsky, Books 1-VIII
Feb. 15 A Historical and Literary Prelude, Continued
Cahan, The Rise of David Levinsky, Books IX–XIV
Feb. 22 Contexts and Perspectives I
Blanc, Cristina Szanton, “Different Settings, Same Outcomes: Transnationalism as a Global Process,” Chapter 7 in Linda Basch, Nina Clark Shiller, Cristina Scanton Blanc, Nations Unbound: Transnational Projects, Post-Colonial Predicaments and Deterritorialized Nation-States,
Shiller, Nina Glick, “The Centrality of Ethnography in the Study of Transnational Migration,” in Nancy Foner, ed, American Revivals: Anthropology Engages the New Immigration, chap. 4, 99-128.
Waldinger, Roger, “Immigration and the American City” in Migrations Internationales et Relations Interethniques (1997), 189-223
February 29 Contexts and Perspectives II
Kasinitz, Philip, Mollenkopf, John, Waters, Mary C., “Becoming American/Becoming New Yorkers: Immigrant Incorporation in a Majority Minority City,” The International Migration Review, Winter 2002, 1020-1036
Marcuse, Peter, “The Enclave, the Citadel, and the Ghetto: What Has Changed in the Post Fordist U. S. City, Urban Affairs Review 33, 2: 228-264
Tour of Astoria – Date to be Determined
March 7. Ethnicities and Neighborhoods I
Foner, Nancy, Where They Live,” in From Ellis Island to JFK, Chapter. 2, 36-69
Zhou Min, 2001, “Chinese: Divergent Diversities in Immigrant New York,” in Nancy Foner, Ed., New Immigrants in New York.
Davila, Arlene, “El Barrio es de Todos” Predicaments of Culture and Place, in Davila, Barrio Dreams: Puerto Ricans, Latino, and the Neoliberal City
Wei Li, “Beyond China Town Enclave: Reconceptualizing Contemporary Chinese Settlements in the United States”
March 14 Ethnicities and Neighborhoods II
Miyares, Ines 2004 “Changing Latinization of New York City,” in Daniel D. Arreola, ed., Hispanic Spaces, Latino Places: Community and Cultural Diversity in Contemporary America,”
Hum, Tarry, “Asian and Latino Immigration and the Revitalization of Sunset Park, Brooklyn, in Linda Vo and Rick Bonus, Intersections and Divergences: Contemporary Asian Pacific American Communities
Davila, “The Mexican Barrio: Mexican, Puerto Ricans and the Terrain of Latinidad, in Davila, Barrio Dreams
March 21 Ethnic Economies and Work
Foner, Nancy, “The Work They Do”, From Ellis Island to JFK, chap. 3 & 4
Peter Kwon, Forbidden Workers: Illegal Chinese Immigrants and American Labor, 1-18, 69-89, 117-137, 207-233
Malkin, Victoria, “Who’s Behind the Counter? Retail Workers in New York City,” in Kasinitz, Philip, Mollenkopf, John and Waters, Mary Becoming New Yorkers: Ethnographies of the Second Generation, 2004 chapter 5
Film: Chop Shop
March 28th Race and Ethnicity
Foner, Nancy, “The Sting of Prejudice,” in Nancy Foner, From Ellis Island to JFK, Chapter 5
Crowder, Kyle, “Residential Segregation of West Indians in the New York and New Jersey Area: the Role of Race and Ethnicity, International Migration Review, 33
Rogers, Reuel, Race Based Coalitions among Minority Groups: Afro-Carribean Immigrants and Afro-Americans in New York City, Urban Affairs Review, 33
Roger Sanjak, “Color-Full before Color Blind: The Emergence of Multinracial Neighborhood Politics in Queens, New York City, American Anthropologist, Dec. 2000, # 102.
April 4 Religion and Ethic Identity and Assimilation I
Slyomovics, Susan, “The Muslim World Day Parade and “Store Front” Mosques in New York City” in Metcalf, Barbara, ed., Making Muslim Space in North America and Europe
Henry Goldschmidt, Race and Religion Among the Chosen People of Crown Heights pages TBA
Spring Break –April 6 –15
April 18 Religion and Ethic Identity and Assimilation II
Orsi, The Madonna of 115th Street, pages TBS
April 25 Assimilation, Accommodation, and Incorporation
Portes, Alexander and Zhou, Min, “The New Second Generation: Segmented Assimilation and Its Variants,” Annals, AAPSS, 530, November 1993, 74-96
Foner, Nancy, “Transnational Ties,” Nancy Foner, From Ellis Island to JFK, Chapter 6
Foner, Nancy, “Going to School,” in Nancy Foner, From Ellis Island to JFK, Chapter 7
May 2 The Second Generation
Lopez, Nancy, “Unraveling the Race-Gender Gap in Education: Second Generation Dominican
Men’s High School Experiences,” in Kasinitz, Mollenkopf, and Waters, Becoming New Yorkers: Ethnographies of the New Second Generation,, chapter 2, 28-56
Trillo, Alex, “Somewhere Between Wall Street and El Barrio: Community College as a Second Chance for Second Generation Latino Students” in Kasinitz, Mollenkopf, and Waters, Becoming New Yorkers, chapter 3, 57-79
Butterfield, Sherri Ann, “We’re Just Black” The Racial and Ethnic Identities of Second Generation West Indians in New York, in Kasinitz, Mollenkopf, and Waters, Becoming New Yorkers, chapter 10, 288-312
Maira, Sunaina, “Nostalgia: Ideology and Performance,” in Maira, Sunaina Marr, Desis In the House: Indian American Youth Culture in New York City
May 9 Conclusions
May 16 Web Project & Individual Essays completed and submitted
