Movements and Migrations: Understanding the Movements of People

Mass movements of people across the world is not a new phenomenon. And yet, in the contemporary moment, the pace of migration from global business networks to displacements from violence and climate change as well as the interconnectivity of social networks is unprecedented. In this discussion seminar class, we will focus on the movements and migrations of people in North America. Though we will focus on the contemporary era, we start with examining the multiple ways that anthropologists understand, document, and make sense of the ways in which people have moved throughout history from bioanthropological, linguistic, archaeological, and ethnographic methodologies. We will further unpack some of the key theoretical discourses around the movement of people, and the frames of analysis that are commonly applied. By considering this topic through multiple lenses we will begin to appreciate the complexities of studying the movement of people and the relevance that these questions have to the present day. In addition to understanding the myriad of debates and case studies around movement and migration, students will develop their own research projects, learning essential skills in executing ethnographic approaches and applying the knowledge we survey throughout the course.