HS 424 - Policing and Borders: Race, Violence, and Empire in U.S. History

(3.00 cr.)

Analyzes the lengthy history of policing, border control, and violence in America. It begins with a central theoretical question: how have nations, including the U.S., defined and policed their borders throughout history? Readings pay particular attention to how borderlands and nation-states are and have been defined and informed by race, gender, and imperialism. Discussion will focus on the concepts of national demarcation and policing in global history. As a case-study, this course follows the long and complex history of the U.S.' southern border with Mexico. Readings and lectures will place discussions of the histories of European empires' attempts to negotiate sovereignty into conversation with the history of U.S. immigration policy. This course is suitable for students interested in global and U.S. history, racial politics, and temporalities of violence in the U.S..

Prerequisite: One HS 100-level course, one HS 300-level course.
Sessions Typically Offered: Varies
Years Typically Offered: Varies