MALA 6010-002
Foundations of the Liberal Arts II: Human Migration
Spring 2017
Tuesday 6:00-9:00
COE 104
Block 6: April 11 and April 18
"The Human Journey to Cosmopolitanism"
Phil Oliver (Philosophy) - We'll begin with introductions. I'd also like to hear some highlights and impressions of what you all have gleaned from the course so far. Catch me up, please!
Block Description:
Reflections on human migration, its contributions to the interweaving of culture, thought, and the creation of world citizenship. The practical and ethical upshot of global migration and immigration is that we live in an increasingly cosmopolitan world. Old patterns of nationalism, chauvinism, and mutual mistrust are challenged by this most promising form of globalism.
Readings:
The following readings are required and are available in D2L, or via this link..
- Spencer Wells, The Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey: ch1 ("The Diverse Ape"), ch8 ("The Importance of Culture")
- Kwame Anthony Appiah, Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers: Introduction ("Making Conversation"), ch1 ("The Shattered Mirror") ch 8 ("Whose Culture Is It, Anyway?")
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An additional, irresistible philosophical aspect of our topic is the peripatetic ("walking/talking") tradition in philosophy. Throughout history, human migration has been a predominantly ambulatory affair: people transported themselves by literally placing one foot in front of the other. Philosophers have noticed and explored this phenomenon. There have been explicitly peripatetic philosophers, most notably Aristotle's Lyceum students; and a strong tradition of non-explicit peripatetic philosophizing continues to this day. Your instructor is a devotee and advocate of that tradition. If conditions permit, I'll invite the class to spend a portion of our class-time actually doing peripatetic philosophy: we'll select a discussion question and disperse into small (2 or 3-student) discussion groups, spending a designated period of time walking and talking on our own MTSU Lyceum grounds (or in COE) before returning to share our reflections with the class. Those who choose not to participate, or who are unable for reasons of health or physical restriction, may opt for sedentary classroom discussion during that time.
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April 11 Quiz
1. Why did Spencer Wells entitle his book "Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey"? With what two questions does he begin?
2. What aboriginal analogy with DNA does Wells suggest as descriptive of his project?
3. Who was Herodotus? What was his tour de force?
4. Who was "Darwin's Bulldog," and with whom did he debate what in 1860?
5. What dispute was at issue between Charles Lyell and Louis Agassiz?
6. Which of Darwin's "other subjects" is of particular interest to Wells?
7. What was Darwin's position in the nature-nurture debate?
9. What was Darwin's "important insight" about race-consciousness?
10. What is polygeny, and why did theists and biologists object to it?
11. Anthropology in the early 20th century was overtly political with respect to what programs and policies?
12. Which evolutionist contributed to the growth of the eugenics movement?
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13. A Sumerian creation myth says the gods overindulged in imbibing what?
14. Archaeological evidence suggests that Polynesians undertook an epic sea journey to where, within the past 4,000 years?
15. Only a few hundred generations ago we were all what?
16. What happened simultaneously around the world, around 10,000 years ago?
17. By adopting agriculture, Neolithic humans initiated what developments leading to modern civilization?
18. Over half of what male population shows evidence of a massive expansion in the past 10,000 years?
19. What transformative shift in thinking may have occurred in just a few generations?
20. Whose explanation for linguistic diversity presaged Darwin by over 60 years?
21. The rich vocabulary for horses and wheeled vehicles in all languages suggests what?
22. What model for how the Indo-European languages came to India appears to be true?
23. Who speak a language unrelated to any other?
24. What unique genetic link arose from a second migration into the Americas between 5-10,000 years ago?
25. What social quirk produces what Y-chromosome pattern?
13. A Sumerian creation myth says the gods overindulged in imbibing what?
14. Archaeological evidence suggests that Polynesians undertook an epic sea journey to where, within the past 4,000 years?
15. Only a few hundred generations ago we were all what?
16. What happened simultaneously around the world, around 10,000 years ago?
17. By adopting agriculture, Neolithic humans initiated what developments leading to modern civilization?
18. Over half of what male population shows evidence of a massive expansion in the past 10,000 years?
19. What transformative shift in thinking may have occurred in just a few generations?
20. Whose explanation for linguistic diversity presaged Darwin by over 60 years?
21. The rich vocabulary for horses and wheeled vehicles in all languages suggests what?
22. What model for how the Indo-European languages came to India appears to be true?
23. Who speak a language unrelated to any other?
24. What unique genetic link arose from a second migration into the Americas between 5-10,000 years ago?
25. What social quirk produces what Y-chromosome pattern?
DQ:
- Spencer Wells says genetics provides a map of our wanderings as a species "from our birthplace in Africa... to the present day - and beyond." How do you think a knowledge of past migrations helps inform our understanding of the future?
- COMMENT: "The really vital question for us all is, What is this world going to be? What is life eventually to make of itself?" William James, Pragmatism
- Do you feel yourself to be vitally connected with ancestors, contemporaries, and descendants? Are we all links in a chain of genetics and culture? Does our day-to-day life reinforce or subvert a sense of connection? Why does this matter?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bx-LKu8c7ldHQl9MMzE0Y1hURGc/view?usp=sharing
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Block 1: January 24 and 31
“Regional Migration Systems: The Dynamics, Challenges, and Problems of Governing”
Dr. Andrei Korobkov (Political Science)
Andrei Korobkov is Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Middle Tennessee State University. He graduated from Moscow State University and holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the Institute of International Economic and Political Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Alabama. He has previously worked as Research Fellow at the Institute of International Economic and Political Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and taught at the University of Alabama. Korobkov is a recipient of numerous grants, he has authored three monographs and about two hundred articles and book chapters published worldwide. His academic interests include the issues of post-Communist transition, state- and nation-building, nationalism, globalization and regionalization, BRICS, geopolitics, ethnic conflict, and international migration. He has previously served as the US co-chair of the working group on migration at the US-Russia Social Expertise Exchange and President and Program Chair of the Post-Communist States in International Relations section of the International Studies Association, and currently serves as Vice President and Program Chair of the Association’s Comparative Interdisciplinary Studies Section.
Block Description:
We will consider the trends in migration and the mechanisms governing it within the three largest migration systems of the world: the European (centered on the EU), the North American (centered on the US), and the Eurasian (centered on Russia). At the center of the discussion will be the roots of the current migration-related social and political tensions and the similarities and differences between policies introduced within these regional systems and their core migrant-receiving countries, which are aimed at dealing with these tensions. The recent developments simultaneously indicate the importance of immigration for economic development, the potential destabilizing effect of the massive inflow of ethnically and religiously distinct migrants on the receiving states, and the necessity of coherent governmental policies of migrant integration. As a case study, we will discuss the evolution of the latest to be formed Eurasian migration system. Our primary goal will be the to find out whether Eurasian migration trends represent part of a worldwide trend, marked by growing divisions within the international migration flow and a strong competition developing among states for the highly skilled migrants simultaneously with the mounting resistance to migrants of most other types.
Readings for Week I:
Stephen Castles, Hein de Haas, and Mark J. MillerThe Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the Modern World. 5th edition. Guilford Press, 2013, 102-46.
Andrei Korobkov. “Post-Soviet Migration: New Trends at the Beginning of the Twenty-First Century.” In: Migration, Homeland, and Belonging in Eurasia. Blair Ruble, Cynthia Buckley, and Erin Trouth Hofmann, eds. Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson Center Press and the Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008, 69-98.
Readings for Week II:
Andrei Korobkov. “Migration Debates: Social and Economic Aspects.” Rethinking Russia. 18.08.2016. http://rethinkingrussia.ru/en/2016/08/andrei-korobkov-migration-debates-social-and-economic-aspects/
James F. Hollifield. “Governing Migration.” In Kavita R. Khory, ed. Global Migration: Challenges in the Twenty-First Century. NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012, 183-209.
Andrei Korobkov and Zhanna Zaionchkovskaia. “Russian Brain Drain: Myths and Reality.” Communist and Post-Communist Studies Special Issue on Disintegration of the Soviet Union. Twenty Years Later. Assessment. Quo Vadis? Richard Sakwa and Andrey Kazantsev, eds., vol. 45, no. 3-4, September-December 2012, 327-41.
Assignments: TBA
Block 2: February 7 and 14
“Perspectives on Human Migration”
Dr. Foster Amey (Sociology and Anthropology)
Foster K. Amey, a demographer by training, received his PhD from Bowling Green State University. He joined the sociology faculty at MTSU in 1999. He is currently a professor of sociology and teaches undergraduate courses in introductory sociology, social problems, population and society, urban and community studies, research methods, peoples and cultures of Africa, statistics, and senior seminar in sociology. At the graduate level, Dr. Amey teaches quantitative research methods and social statistics. He has been involved in several graduate thesis projects, some of which he directed. Dr. Amey’s research projects cover two main tracts, namely population health and issues of immigrant experiences in the United States. He has presented his research at several conferences of the American Sociological Association and the Western Social Science Association, among others. Dr. Amey has served on and chaired a number of University Committees. He has also represented his department and the College of Liberal Arts on the Faculty Senate.
Block Description:
This block will examine the meaning and types of migration as well as other concepts relevant to a rigorous understanding of the migration phenomenon. It will also examine the theories used to explain the social, economic, political, and other dimensions of the migration processes. These dimensions inform the responses that individuals, organizations, and governments make to the presence or absence of migrants in any society. Consequently, the block will conclude by examining US approaches and government policies (historical and contemporary) aimed at influencing the migration process including policies towards refugees and asylum seekers.
Topic for Week 1: Concepts, Types, & Theories of Human Migration
Required Readings (Available at JSTOR via James Walker Library)
Lee, Everett S. 1966. A Theory of Migration. Demography 3(1): 47-57.
Piché, Victor and Catriona Dutreuilh. 2013. Contemporary Migration Theories as
Reflected in their Founding Texts. Population 68(1): 141-164.
Topic for Week 2: Immigration to the US: History, Patterns, Trends, & Debates
Required Reading (Available from Population Reference Bureau—see link)
Martin, Philip and Elizabeth Midgley. 2006. Immigration: Shaping and Reshaping
America. Population Bulletin 61(4). Washington DC: Population Reference Bureau.
Assignments: (1) Students are expected to complete the assigned readings before class and be ready to discuss the ideas presented following prompts from the instructor.
(2) Students will be expected to write ONE short essay (no more than five pages) at the end of the block. The essay topic will be chosen from a list of four questions presented by the instructor.
Note: All Population Reference Bureau publications can be downloaded FREE from prb.org. A link is provided. All others can be obtained from JSTOR through James Walker Library.
General References
Baldwin-Edwards, Martin. 2008. Towards a Theory of Illegal Migration: Historical and
Structural Components. Third World Quarterly 29(7): 1449-1459.
Bremner, Jason and Lori M. Hunter. 2014. Migration and the Environment. Population
Bulletin 69(1). Washington DC: Population Reference Bureau.
Castles, Stephen. 2012. Migration and Social Transformation. Pp. 155-178 in An
Introduction to International Migration Studies: European Perspectives, edited by Marco Martinello and Jan Rath. Armsterdam, Amsterdam University Press.
Kent, Mary Maderios. 2007. Immigration and America’s Black Population. Population
Bulletin 62(4). Washington DC: Population Reference Bureau.
Martin, Philip. 2013. The Global Challenge of Managing Migration. Population
Bulletin 68(2). Washington DC: Population Reference Bureau.
Block 3: February 21 and 28
“Global/Mobil: Connecting Dance and Migration”
Ms. Marsha Barsky (Theatre & Dance)
Marsha Barsky, Assistant Professor and Director of Dance, has worked both nationally and internationally as a teacher, performer and choreographer. At MTSU, she teaches courses in modern dance technique, choreography, dance history, and the Alexander Dance, and in 2015 she was the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement in Instructional Technology Award. In addition to her work at MTSU, she serves on the review board for the Journal of Dance Education, the executive board for the Tennessee Association of Dance, and is the founder and Artistic Director of Company Rose Contemporary Dance in Nashville, TN. In 2016, she was named Distinguished Foreign Expert in Dance at Chengdu University, China. In addition to her work in dance, she is a certified yoga instructor and, since 2011, a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique.
Block Description:
The IOM defines migration as “the movement of a person or a group of persons, either across an international border, or within a State. It is a population movement, encompassing any kind of movement of people, whatever its length, composition and causes; it includes migration of refugees, displaced persons, economic migrants, and persons moving for other purposes, including family reunification”. Since dance is the arrangement of bodily movement in time and space, it can serve as a unique and critical lens for understanding the experiences of both voluntary and involuntary migratory movement. In this block, we will explore and discuss how dance can offer us an unique perspective for understanding patterns of individual and mass human movements across the world’s stage. We will focus our attention on two dance artists that have defined modern/contemporary dance; Katherine Dunham from the U.S. and Akrahm Kahn from the U.K.
List of Readings and Assignments:
Week 1 Reading (posted to D2L):
An Anthropologist Looks at Ballet as a Form of Ethnic Dance. Joann Kealinohomoku.
Dancing the Black Atlantic: Katherine Dunham’s Research-to-Performance Method. Halifu Osumare. http://homiletic.net/index.php/ameriquests/article/viewFile/165/182
Week 1 Video Viewing (posted to D2L):
KETC: Living St. Louis/Katherine Dunham https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vyx6ue7K6o
Week 2 Reading (posted to D2L):
“Embodiment of Memory and the Diasporic Agent in Akrahm Kahn Company’s Bahok.” Performance, Embodiment, and Cultural Memory. Royon Amitra
Week 1 Video Viewing (posted to D2L):
Akraham Kahn. Bahok
Akraham Kahn. Bahok
Assignment: Due March 14, 2017
Write an essay that responds the following:
1. It is common to say that everyone that comes to America is an immigrant, research your own background and look into which countries your parent, grandparent, great grandparent, etc. came from.
2. Choose one of the countries or areas from which one of your ancestors came from and identify an array of dances that they may have been familiar with.
3. Of these dances, choose one an research into how this dance shifted or developed once it migrated to America. Is this dance still performed today? If so, by whom, and where?
Your essay should be at least 5 full pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman font, 1 inch margins.
Block 4: March 14 and 21
“Migration, Identity, and American Popular Music”
Dr. Greg Reish (Center for Popular Music/Music)
Greg Reish is Director of the Center for Popular Music and Professor of Music History at MTSU. He holds the BM in jazz guitar from the University of Miami, and the MA and PhD in musicology from the University of Georgia. A former Fulbright scholar to Italy, he is an authority on twentieth-century Italian music, as well as a scholar of American old-time, bluegrass, and related vernacular musical styles. Reish recorded and released an album of old-time fiddle and guitar duets with his musical partner Matt Brown in 2015, co-produced a reissue album of home recordings by legendary musicians John Hartford and Howdy Forrester, and hosts a weekly radio show, Lost Sounds, on WMOT 89.5 FM.
Block Description:
We will use three case studies to examine how human migration has shaped community music making, how music serves to establish communal identity in new settings, and how migratory experiences contribute to the evolution of popular musical genres.
Readings for March 14:
John Baily and Michael Collyer, “Introduction: Music and Migration,” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 32/2 (March 2006): 167–182.
Daniel Margolies, “Latino Migrant Music and Identity in the Borderlands of the New South,” The Journal of American Culture 32/2 (June 2009): 114–125.
Listening for March 14:
Rey Norteño, “Raleigh, Norte Carolina”
Readings for March 21:
Benjamin Filene, Romancing the Folk: Public Memory and American Roots Music (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2000): 76–110.
Peter LaChapelle, Proud to Be an Okie: Cultural Politics, Country Music, and Migration to Southern California (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2007): 45–75.
Listening for March 21:
Muddy Waters, “Country Blues”
Muddy Waters, “Hard Day Blues”
Muddy Waters, “I Feel Like Going Home”
Muddy Waters, “Hoochie Coochie Man”
Woody Guthrie, “Do-Re-Mi”
Woody Guthrie, “Them Big City Ways”
NB: PDF and Mp3 files for all reading and listening assignments will be posted on the course D2L site.
Written Assignment due by March 28:
Compose an essay of at least four pages (double-spaced, 12-point font) describing how the migration of Cajun people from Nova Scotia to Louisiana in the 18th century shaped their music making, and how they have used music to establish and maintain their communal identity ever since. In the essay you should give a brief historical synopsis of the forces that caused this migration, describe the main musical genres and styles that have come to define Cajun music (taking into account influences from other ethnic groups and musical idioms, like the adoption of the German accordion and the influence of commercial country music), and discuss a recording of one Cajun song (of your choosing) to provide support and illustration for your main points. There is no minimum number of research sources required, but you will be evaluated partially on the thoroughness and depth of your research, given the length of the assignment. Be sure to cite your research sources using one of the standard citation formats (APA, MLA, Chicago).
Save your essay as a PDF or DOCX file (no other formats, please) and submit it via the Dropbox folder on D2L no later than March 28.
Block 5: March 28 and April 4
“The Postcolonial World Sets the Stage for Modern Migration”
Pat Richey (ORCO/COMM)
Dr. Patrick (Pat) Richey earned his Ph.D. from the University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Richey’s academic interests include debate history and theory, and rhetoric, specifically post-modern thought, military rhetoric, and Islamic rhetoric. He has published multiple articles, book chapters, and has presented at dozens of conferences. His experience in the US Army as a Civil Affairs sergeant began his lifelong interest in the postcolonial world when he served a tour in Iraq in 2003-2004. His dissertation examines the rhetorical power of the Abu Gharib prison abuses photographs.
Block Description: This block will focus on how the postcolonial world has helped to shape modern migration. We will examine the term postcolonial from the context of European colonialism, specifically, colonialism’s downfall through the 21st-century. We will examine the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as our case example(s). Day 1 will focus on the historical implications and modern terminology. Be sure to read Said, Huntington, and Bhabha. These articles are competing narratives of the postcolonial world. Day 2 will Focus on contemporary issues in the postcolonial world and migration. Be sure to read the Cloud article.
Readings: (provided on D2L).
Edward Said: Orientalism. (Selected reading)
Samuel Huntington: Clash of Civilizations.
Homi Bhabha: Hybridity (Selected reading)
Dana Cloud: To Veil the Threat of Terror.
Assignment:
This is a formal short essay which will examine how the postcolonial world affects modern migration. Choose a modern migration group and an artifact (can be a person, place, item, or event). Clearly explain how the postcolonial world influences/d the artifact and group. I understand this assignment has a level of conjecture. However, you can still find good quality resources to back your positions. This is not a right or wrong answer essay, but one which makes a strong and well-researched argument. Grammar and structure are critical to a strong argument.
5-7 pages APA or MLA formatting.
Times New Roman or Arial
12 Font Double Spaced
Appropriate reference/bibliography page (not part of page count)
Turn It In will be used on D2L
Two copies:
One hard Copy for Day 2
One E-copy dropped into the “Postcolonial” folder on D2L
Due to the nature of this course, late assignments are not accepted. If in the case of dire circumstances, late work must be approved by Dr. Richey beforehand.
Example:
Group: Palestinians
Artifact: President Drumpf’s announcement to relocate the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Colonial & Postcolonial Influence: Post Ottoman Empire, Israel’s creation through modern events, Palestinian Diaspora, etc.
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Dr. Dawn McCormack (Course Coordinator)
Office: Todd Hall 231
Office Phone: 615-494-8603
e-mail: Dawn.McCormack@mtsu.edu
cell: 615-848-8854
OFFICE HOURS: Monday-Friday 8:00-4:30 (other times can be arranged by appointment) It is best to make an appointment as I often have meetings. If you need to track me down, you can call the College of Liberal Arts Office at 615-898-5986. They can schedule appointments or tell you when I will be in the office. Questions and issues may also be addressed via e-mail, text message or phone call.
READINGS AND STUDY SOURCES: (Please see listing for each individual professor in the course schedule. Other readings may be added later in the semester)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: With the current stream of Syrian refugees pouring into Europe, issues pertaining to human migration have become the focus of daily news. In this course, we will look at the topic of “human migration” through the disciplines of Organizational Communication, Sociology, Political Science, Dance, Music and Philosophy. Time periods, parts of the world, and perspectives will vary throughout the semester, providing students with an understanding of this issue from many points of view.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will:
∙ Gain an understanding of the foundation of Liberal Arts disciplines
∙ Increase content knowledge of the Liberal Arts disciplines
∙ Gain a greater appreciation of the interdisciplinary approach to learning
∙ Improve the ability to read and write critically and at an advanced level
∙ Recognize the methods of knowing in various disciplines
COURSE STRUCTURE: The course will begin with an introduction to the Liberal Arts and the M.A. in Liberal Arts program. The next 12 weeks will feature inspiring professors from 6 different departments who will discuss their approaches to the topic of “Human Migration” through their disciplines. Each individual professor will lead the class for two weeks and will assign readings and assignments. Through these exercises and discussions, you will 2 have the opportunity to learn about fascinating topics while using approaches from different disciplines. You will also work on your reading and oral and written communication skills. At the end of the course, professors and students will engage in a round table session in which you will work to bring together what you have learned about “human migration” and different methods used to approach this topic during the semester.
ATTENDANCE: Regular attendance is essential, especially since this course only meets one day a week, and professors rotate every two weeks. If you must be absent, it is your responsibility to contact the coordinator and the professor for that date so that you may make up your work (this may involve extra readings and assignments).
GRADING: The grading for the course will be based upon a weighted percentage system with a minimum of 0% and a maximum of 100% as indicated below:
Each professor will give you assignments and participation grades which will make up 15% of your grade. With six professors, this will make up 90% of your final grade.
You will write a 5-page essay in conjunction with the round table. You will use the readings from the course as your sources. This will be 5% of your grade.
Participation in the round table will make up 3% of your grade.
You will also begin the process of composing an e-portfolio. This will be 2% of your grade.
Final grades will be based upon the total points earned as follows:
A 94-100 A- 90-93 B+ 87-89 B 84-86 B- 80-83 C+ 77-79
C 74-76 C- 70-73 D+ 67-69 D 64-66 D- 60-63 F 0-59
CHEATING: Cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, and facilitation will not be tolerated and will result in a grade of “0” for the assignment or test.
Cheating: turning in work composed for other courses, copying the work of other students, and using notes or technological devices to obtain answers on exams.
Plagiarism: copying the words of an author without proper notation and acknowledgement.
Fabrication: making up content and or sources.
Facilitation: getting unauthorized assistance from others to complete your work.
Violators will also be reported to the Assistant Dean for Judicial Affairs. There will be no exceptions. Remember to start your papers and studying early to avoid the temptation to resort to any of these offenses.
ACCOMMODATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: If you have a disability that may require assistance or accommodation, or you have questions related to any accommodations for testing, note takers, readers, etc., please speak with me as soon as possible. Students may also contact the Office of Disabled Students Services (615-898-2783) with questions about such services.
RESPECT AND ELECTRONICS: Please abide by a policy of mutual respect for your instructor and your fellow students. Cell phones or any other electronic devices should be silenced, and texting or e-mailing should not be done during class. Students are expected to pay attention and contribute in a positive manner.
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