ECON 281 - Immigration Policy in America: The Cost of Borders

Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)

(Same as HIST 281) This course explores immigration policy in the U.S. from historical, legal, social and economic perspectives. Drawing from a multidisciplinary set of readings that engage both qualitative and quantitative methods, along with data sets and other primary sources, the purpose of the course is to provide students with an evidence based framework to reflect on the current moment of more restrictive immigration policy. To start, the course begins with a thorough overview of the history of immigration policy. This section of the course unpacks the legal arguments and historical context behind policy shifts over time permitting or restricting certain immigration flows. The course then goes on to assess the impact of these policies on the total number of new immigrants and the overall composition of the immigration population, as defined by the sending country. Finally, the course evaluates the economic and societal costs of different immigration policies, specifically emphasizing factors such as labor market outcomes, government expenditures, and human rights. Overall, this course speaks to a broader question of how to define the costs of borders: how those costs vary across different policies, and who pays the heaviest burden. Daniel Mendiola, Sarah Pearlman.

Prerequisite(s): ECON 102.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS