This course examines the construction of the immigrant in relationship to the citizen in the United States. In particular, we will read fiction, short stories, law, hip-hop music and film to think about how both of these figures, immigrant and citizen, are historically determined, socially constructed, fluid and yet also highly rigid. This class offers the opportunity to think about how literature functions as an alternative site for narrating history, a place to imagine new futures, and a critique of various institutions (like citizenship). We will ask how literature helps to define and contest the commonsense understandings of citizens and immigrants and the boundary drawn between them. Similarly, we will think about how law operates as a medium for creating fiction through the invention of such terms as "alien ineligible for citizenship," "national origin" and "permanent resident". Critical readings will provide a framework for considering how cultural texts help to define who, when, why and how one may be a citizen. We will work on close reading skills and practice developing strong claims in our writing through reading, discussing and writing about literature.

Course goals include 1) student-driven exploration of the course content, 2) connecting historical and theoretical readings to literary texts, 3) individual and group exploration of different methods of reading, discussion, and critical writing.

This class fulfills the University's W-requirement. In doing so, students will be required to write a series of shorter 2-3 page papers that build up to one longer essay of 10-12 pages. All writing will be subject to various forms of peer and instructor review. The workload also includes a presentation. This class is primarily discussion based and daily participation will constitute a significant amount of the total grade.

Possible primary texts include some of the following:
Bulosan, Carlos. America is in the Heart. 1946
Ciscernos, Sandra. Woman Hollering Creek, and Other Stories. 1991
Kincaid, Jamaica. Lucy. 1990
Morales, Alejandro. The Brick People. 1988
Ng, Fae Myenne. Bone. 1994
Okada, John. No-No Boy. 1957
Viramontes, Helena Maria. Under the Feet of Jesus. 1995