Fall 2021 -60867- PA 383C - Advanced Topics in Public Policy

Immigration Incorporation Policies Ruth Ellen Wasem, professor of policy practice Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs wasemruth@utexas.edu Policy makers across the United States and around the world are facing the challenge of establishing more inclusive communities and increasing civic engagement among all residents. This course explores options to make sure that long-time residents and recent immigrants alike participate in creating stronger communities with equal opportunity. The objectives include removing barriers that traditionally prevent immigrants from fully participating in decision-making while being mindful that long-time residents have concerns about changing demographics. The class will focus on immigrant inclusion and incorporation and will discuss the meaningful distinctions across words such as assimilation, integration, acculturation, and incorporation. Each participant will select a city from one of the 100 in the New American Economy Cities Index for an in-depth analysis. Successful participants will understand how the well-being of immigrants is highly dependent on immigrant starting points—the racial and ethnic groups, legal status, social class, and geographic area where they live. Participants will prepare by familiarizing themselves with the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration at the University of Southern California, the Migration Policy Institute’s Research Initiative on Immigrant Integration, and the LBJ Immigrant Incorporation Research Project. They will also review the older immigrant incorporation programs such as the state of New York’s Office of New Americans and Michigan’s Welcoming Communities. The readings will include selections from Welcoming New Americans? Local Governments and Immigration Incorporation, by Abigail Fisher Williamson (2018), Unsettled Americans: Metropolitan Context and Civic Leadership for Immigrant Integration by John H. Mollenkopf and Manuel Pastor (2016), and Barrio America: How Latino Immigrants Saved the American City by A.K. Sandoval-Strausz (2019). Selected weekly topics include:   Melting Pot and Mosaics – Assimilation, Integration, and Incorporation “Americanization” -- History of Immigrant Incorporation in the United States Comparative Approaches to Immigrant Integration among Immigrant-receiving Nations Immigrant Rights, Benefits, and Responsibilities New American Economy Cities Index Data, Statistics, and Demographic Analysis Immigrants in the Labor Market Languages and Education Naturalization and Citizenship Immigrant Asset Building Policies to foster Immigrant Incorporation