POLI 4390 Immigration: Processes, Politics, and Policies
Restricted to juniors, seniors, and graduate students only. Not open to students who have previously taken POLI2330.. This course will examine immigration as a social as well as an economic process, with particular attention to its political and policy dimensions. Special attention will be paid to the interaction between immigrants and contemporary American institutions, and to how the contemporary context differs from earlier periods in our history. The various dimensions (social, cultural, economic, and political) of assimilation will be examined. Particular emphasis will be placed on undocumented immigration as well as the group competition and conflict engendered by immigration generally. The course will culminate in an examination of policy responses to the continuing controversy over immigration.
Course overview
- Department
- Political Science
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Both
- Offered
- Periodically in the Fall
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 4.06 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.09 / 5 · Very Good
- Terms evaluated
- 4
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | Peter Skerry | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4–6 hrs/week | 13 of 18 |
| Spring 2025 | Peter Skerry | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4–6 hrs/week | 7 of 12 |
| Fall 2022 | Peter Skerry | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4–6 hrs/week | 6 of 10 |
| Fall 2021 | Peter Skerry | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4–6 hrs/week | 3 of 8 |