Course Syllabus
Ethnicity and the Immigrant Experience in the United States
Race & Diversity (GD)
SOC0835-002, CRN: 57108
Fall 2025
Instructor: Professor Rebbeca Tesfai
Syllabus
The course meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 12-12:50 pm
- Mondays and Fridays are zoom lectures (https://temple.zoom.us/j/98432411304)
- Wednesdays are in person-courses in Mazur Hall 207
The course syllabus will provide you with the course schedule, course objectives, explanations of assignments and assessments, grading policies, and instructor contact information. Please read it carefully. You should have a deep familiarity with the schedule and process of the course.
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Basic Course Information
General Education
This course fulfills the General Education area of Race and Diversity
For more information about the GenEd Program and the Race and Diversity Area, please see the Bulletin: https://bulletin.temple.edu/undergraduate/general-education/#GenEd_Courses]
Welcome Message
Welcome to Ethnicity and the Immigrant Experience in the United States! We'll be spending the semester together in an exploration of the intricacies of immigration. Along the way, you'll also get an opportunity to learn new ways to interpret policy and immigration patterns and the way they matter for race and ethnicity in the United States.
Meeting Time and Location
Class meets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 12-12:50
Mondays and Fridays we meet via zoom: https://temple.zoom.us/j/98432411304
Wednesdays we meet in person in Mazur Hall 207
Emergency Meetings
In the event that we are unable to meet in person on a Wednesday due to a university closure, expect a Canvas announcement directing you to a Zoom meeting
Please make sure to register for the TUAlert System to be made aware of University closures due to weather or other emergency situations and follow all additional university-wide emergency instructions. You can register for this system on the Campus Safety Services website.
Instructor Information
My Name:
Professor Rebbeca Tesfai
Please refer to me as Professor Tesfai. My pronouns are she/her/hers.
Instructor Biography
I am a demographer and sociologist who researches immigration. In my work, I use large-scale population data to examine characteristics of immigrants over time. Specifically, I use U.S. Census data to investigate immigrants' housing and labor market outcomes. I've also recently begun conducting historical immigration research using Congressional and intelligence documents along with 100 years of newspaper articles to examine refugee admissions in the United States. My work informs my approach to learning about immigration. I look forward to working with all of you to talk about the causes and consequences of U.S. immigration policy over time and how it changed the U.S. population.
My Contact Information
Please feel free to reach out to me for assistance with the course or just to chat about the field or navigating university life. The best way to reach me is to send me a message through the Canvas inbox or email me at rebbeca.tesfai@temple.edu. I will generally respond within 24 hours, but I will respond within 48 hours at the most.
My Office
Gladfelter 742
Student Drop-In Hours
Seeking out individual assistance from the instructor is a normal part of the learning process. I set aside 2-4pm on Mondays and 2-3pm on Wednesdays for you to come to my office with no appointment necessary. We can discuss course content, your progress in the course, your interest in the field, or other aspects of university life you’d like to talk about. If my regular Drop-In Hours don’t fit your schedule, please email me to make an in-person or zoom appointment outside of these drop-in hours.
Purpose of the Course
Overview of the Course
How do immigrants learn to become American? How does living an ethnic identity vary for different groups? When does ethnicity become a chosen identity or an unwanted label? How do we learn to value some aspects of ethnicity but not others? What are markers of ethnicity? How do language, food, music, family and community work to provide authenticity to the American immigrant experience? What happens to ethnicity with assimilation to the American way of life? Can ethnicity combat the tidal social expectations to conform to the dominant culture? Using a variety of written materials including novels that explore the ethnic identity of different groups, this course raises questions about how ethnicity and American identity are connected.
3 Credit Hours
Learning Goals
Upon successful completion of this General Education course, you will be able to…
- Understand the theoretical perspectives about the globally interconnected social, economic, political, and environmental factors that drive international migration
- Connect what you learn about U.S. immigration policy and the system of laws governing the nation’s immigration system to current events
- Recognize and articulate the relevance of contemporary immigration to their own lives, and to large social, demographic, and economic dynamics shaping the future of the country
- Understand the competing claims about immigration’s impact on American society and facilitate their ability to weigh such claims against available empirical evidence
All materials, activities, and assessments of this course are designed to help you achieve these goals. If at any time you feel that you are not making progress towards one of these goals, please reach out to me as early as possible
General Education Competencies and Area Learning Goals
Competencies:
- Critical Thinking
- Students who think critically recognize an object of investigation, frame questions about it, and interrogate assumptions - explicit or implicit. Critical thinking includes the evaluation of evidence, analysis and synthesis of multiple sources, and reflection on varied perspectives. Critical thinking generates a well-developed investigation that incorporates supporting and countering claims. A student engaged in critical thinking produces an informed account, a hypothesis for further study, or the solution to a problem.
- Contextualized Learning: Understand Historical and Contemporary Issues in Context
- Students who contextualize learning understand and integrate historical, contemporary, and recognize the interaction of complex forces that give rise to specific phenomena. Second, contextual learners understand and analyze related events, artifacts, practices and concepts across geographic, chronological and cultural boundaries
- Communication Skills: Communicate effectively orally and in writing
- Students who communicate effectively use spoken and written language to construct a message that demonstrates the communicator has established clear goals and has considered their audience. Effective messages are organized and presented in style appropriate to the context
Area Goals:
Race & Diversity courses are intended to teach students how to:
- Recognize the ways in which race intersects with other group identifications or ascriptions, including gender, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age
- Understand the relationships among diversity, justice and power
- Explore what it means for individuals and institutions to exist in a multi-racial, multi-cultural world
- Investigate the various forms race and racism has taken in different places and times
- Discuss race matters with diverse others in relatin to personal experience
The Learning Environment
How Class Will Be Conducted
This is a hybrid course, so on Mondays and Fridays I will conduct synchronous lectures on zoom. Zoom lectures will also include group activities/discussions in breakout rooms where you will discuss a question I pose. When I close the breakout rooms, groups will talk about their answers to their questions. Participation in these group activities will be part of your attendance/participation grade (which together will count for 10% of your grade).
We will meet in person for class every Wednesday. These in-person classes will be an opportunity to address any questions you have about what we’ve covered so far. We will also use this time for in-class group activities. You are expected to complete the preparatory reading, video, or podcast assignment before coming to class to ensure that we can all engage in an informed dialogue. I will generally be available for a few minutes after class to discuss individual issues, but, as a courtesy to the next class to use our space, any lengthy and/or serious matters should be discussed during office hours or by appointment.
Classroom Civility
It is important to foster a respectful and productive learning environment that includes all students in our diverse community of learners. Our differences, some of which are outlined in the University's nondiscrimination statement, will add richness to this learning experience. Treat your classmates and instructor with respect in all communication, class activities, and meetings. You are encouraged to comment, question, or critique an idea, but you are not to attack an individual. In general, have your behavior mirror how you would like to be treated by others.
It is important to keep civility in mind because in this course, we will have conversations that involve racism, political polarization, and other issues that some may find challenging and uncomfortable to discuss. To help with this, we will begin the in-person sessions by preparing for discussions as a group and developing agreements about how we can have discussions in a productive and respectful way. Doing so will help us consider viewpoints that may be different from our own. It will also leave us open to learning facts about policies and immigration that do not align with our own lived experiences. Please do not ever hesitate to reach out to me if I can do something better or differently to support your learning or our collective learning experience.
For more information, please visit the IDEAL website.
Materials
All required course materials are available for FREE to read online or download.
Required Materials
Waters, Mary C., Ueda, Reed, and Hellen B. Marrow. 2007. The New Americans: A Guide to Immigration since 1965. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press
- This book is available for FREE to view online or download through the Temple University Library System
Links to other required readings, videos, etc., will be supplied electronically in Canvas in the appropriate module. These items will be provided to you at no additional cost.
Software or Other Supplies
If you need access to basic software for creating documents, slideshows, or spreadsheets, you have free access to Microsoft 365.
Whether you use a paper or digital tool, you should have a calendar for managing your schedule. I use Outlook calendar, a software available to you as part of the Microsoft 365 suite of tools. Similarly, I expect you to take notes while reading course materials and during lectures, but the choice is yours whether to use software or paper.
Accessibility
I believe that every student has the ability to successfully complete this course. Please reach out to me if there are any obstacles to your success.
Any student who has a need for accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability or medical condition should contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) located in the Howard Gittis Student Center South, 4th Floor at drs@temple.edu or 215-204-1280 to request accommodations and learn more about the resources available to you. If you have a DRS accommodation letter to share with me, or you would like to discuss your accommodations, please contact me as soon as practical. I will work with you and with DRS to coordinate reasonable accommodations for all students with documented disabilities. All discussions related to your accommodations will be confidential. Students can learn more about the accommodation process and pre-register on the DRS website. Students may register at any time during the semester, but accommodations are not active until you register, so I recommend doing so as early in the semester as possible.
Information regarding accessibility for additional technologies is provided below:
Resources and Support
Sometimes the biggest factors impacting student success are things happening beyond the scope of the individual classroom. Temple provides a many resources both to help you overcome academic challenges and those not directly related to the educational challenges of the course. Please reach out to me if you need help deciding which resources might be right for you.
Undergraduate Research Support
Disability Resources and Services
If you are experiencing food insecurity or financial struggles, Temple provides resources and support. Notably, the Temple University Cherry Pantry is in operation, as well as a variety of resources from the Division of Student Affairs.
Library Resources
Temple University Libraries provide resources to assist Temple students with their class projects and course paper needs. Visit the Libraries’ website to find millions of articles, books, video, and other resources, both in print and online (INCLUDING YOUR TEXTBOOK!). The University also has subscriptions to many newspapers and access to these subscriptions may be key to your success on the course paper.
Contact the library at any stage of the research process. You can chat with a librarian 24/7 or make an appointment with your subject librarian, who can help you explore a topic, craft a research question, and identify and cite sources.
Course Schedule
|
Week |
Topic |
Dates |
Prepare for Class (If there are no page numbers or section numbers, read the entire document) |
Assessments Due |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Overview and Introduction |
8-25 |
Syllabus |
|
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|
Current Modes of Immigration and Citizenship |
8-27 |
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|
8-29 |
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2 |
9-1 |
LABOR DAY - NO CLASS |
|
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|
9-3 |
American Immigration Council – How the U.S. Immigration System Works |
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|
|
Part 1: Theories of Boundaries, Race, and Historical Ideas of Assimilation |
||||
|
|
Social and Symbolic Boundaries |
9-5 |
Heizman - Symbolic Boundaries, Incorporation Policies, and Anti-Immigrant Attitudes - pp.1791-1793 |
Homework 1 |
|
3 |
Definitions of Race Over Time
|
9-8 |
|
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|
9-10 |
Waters & Ueda – pp. 98-105 |
|
|
|
Historical Understanding of Immigrant Incorporation |
9-12 |
Hirschman – America’s Melting Pot Reconsidered – pp.397-402 Waters and Ueda – pp. 124-128 |
|
|
| Part 2: Entering the United States | ||||
|
4 |
Overview of Immigration Patterns |
9-15 |
Waters and Ueda – pp. 14-19 |
|
|
Policies of Exclusion |
9-17 |
1882 Chinese Exclusion Act – Chap. 126, Sec.1, 4, 11, 12, 14 |
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9-19 |
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5 |
9-22 |
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9-24 |
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9-26 |
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|
6 |
Quotas |
9-29 |
|
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|
|
10-1 |
An Act to Repeal the Chinese Exclusion Act, to Establish Quotas, and for Other Purposes |
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|
10-3 |
MIDTERM REVIEW |
|
|
7 |
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10-6 |
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10-8 |
MIDTERM |
MIDTERM |
|
Part 3: Citizenship in the United States |
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|
Expanding Immigration |
10-10 |
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|
8 |
Refugee Policy |
10-13 |
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|
|
Citizenship in the U.S. Today |
10-15 |
Waters and Ueda – pp.43-60 |
|
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|
10-17 |
FALL WELLNESS DAY - NO CLASS |
|
|
9 |
The Meanings of Citizenship |
10-20 |
|
|
|
|
U.S. Citizenship Law (Pre-1952) |
10-22 |
1790 Immigration and Nationality Act |
|
|
|
Determining Eligibility to Naturalized Citizenship |
10-24 |
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|
10 |
10-27 |
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10-29 |
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10-31 | |||
|
11 |
U.S. Citizenship Laws (Post-1952)
|
11-3 |
1952 Immigration and Nationality Act – pp. 235, 239, 242-245 |
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|
11-5 |
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|
|
Why is Citizenship Important? |
11-7 |
Fields – Where Shall the Alien Work (1933) – pp. 213-214 (ending at “The Professions”), pp.220-221 Congressional Research Service – State Regulation of Foreign Ownership of U.S. Land (2024) |
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| Part 4: Modern Theories of Immigrant Incorporation | ||||
|
12 |
Classic (Straight Line) Assimilation |
11-10 |
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11-12 |
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Segmented Assimilation |
11-14 | ||
|
13 |
11-17 |
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Critiques of Assimilation |
11-19 |
Garcia – Resisting Assimilation and Other Forms of Integration |
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11-21 |
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14 |
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11-24 |
FALL BREAK AND THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY - NO CLASS |
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11-26 |
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11-28 |
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|
15 |
New Assimilation Theory |
12-1 |
Waters and Ueda pp.132-136 |
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12-3 |
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12-5 |
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16 |
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12-8 |
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|
FINAL EXAM |
|
12-10 |
FINAL EXAM - December 10th: 10:30am-12:30pm |
In-person Final Exam (Mazur 207) |
Grading & Assessment Guidelines
Grading Scale
|
Percentage |
Letter Grade |
|---|---|
|
93-100 |
A |
|
90-92 |
A- |
|
85-89 |
B+ |
|
83-84 |
B |
|
80-82 |
B- |
|
75-79 |
C+ |
|
73-74 |
C |
|
70-72 |
C- |
|
67-69 |
D+ |
|
63-66 |
D |
|
60-62 |
D- |
|
0-59 |
F |
Course Minimum Grade
A grade of “C-” or better is required in all GenEd courses for you to satisfy a General Education requirement.
I will do my best to warn you if you are in danger of not meeting this minimum, but you should reach out to me if you become worried about not achieving the minimum needed grade.
Assessment Summary
The assessments in this course have been created for two reasons: (1) For you to demonstrate your progress towards the learning goals for the course and receive useful feedback. (2) For you to practice skills and develop ways of thinking that will be of use to you in the future.
|
Grading Item |
Due Date |
Percentage |
|---|---|---|
|
Homework Assignments |
Homework 1: September 5 Homework 2: September 19 Homework 3: October 3 Homework 4: October 31 Homework 5: November 14 |
25% |
|
Topic Selection for Course Paper |
October 15 |
5% |
|
Course Paper |
December 1 |
15% |
|
Midterm Exam |
October 8 (In-person) |
20% |
|
Final Exam |
December 10 (In-Person) |
25% |
|
Attendance & Participation |
|
10% |
Homework Assignments
- Homework assignments are meant to assess your understandings of the course readings.
- You are only required to complete 4 out of 5 homework assignments
- Your grade for this portion of the course will be based on your top 4 homework grades
- If you choose to complete all 5 homework assignments, I will give EXTRA CREDIT (an extra 2% added to your FINAL grade)
- If you have turned in fewer than four assignments at the end of the semester you will receive a zero for all missing homework assignments.
- Assignments are due by 11:59pm on the due date
|
The Oops Card |
|
Once (and only once) this semester you may use the “oops card” |
|
- Every now and then, we all need a bit of understanding. If something goes wrong (no need to be specific), you can use this card to turn in homework assignments up to 48 hours late, without penalty |
|
- You do not have to tell me that you will use this card, but once you do, you are not allowed to use it again. |
|
- You may ONLY use the Oops Card for homework assignments |
|
You must complete all of these steps to use the “oops card” |
|
- Complete the assignment |
|
- Turn the assignment in within 48 hours of the date/time the assignment was due |
|
- Copy and paste the language below onto the TOP of the homework assignment |
|
Dear Prof. Tesfai, Oops. Sincerely (Your Full name here) |
|
|
Topic Selection for Course Paper
Before submitting your course paper, you will submit a short document selecting an opinion piece from a news media outlet. You will also explain why you chose to focus your paper on this article.
Course Paper
For your course paper, you will select an opinion piece from a news media outlet and – using course materials – you will explain why you agree or disagree with the opinion of the author. This paper will allow you to apply what you learned in this class present day immigration issues.
When planning your semester, I recommend adding all due dates to your calendar. For the more extensive assessments, I recommend scheduling at least two separate hour-long work/study sessions per week for the two weeks before the due date. The final project will require more time. You should schedule time beginning just after the midterm.]
Late Submissions/Missed Exams & Quizzes
- All homework, the paper outline, and the final paper must be turned in on Canvas by 11:59pm on the due date. I will not accept hard copies of any assignment.
- You are only required to turn in 4 out of 5 homework assignments.
- If you choose to complete all 5, I will give extra credit (an extra 2% added to your FINAL grade).
- It is up to you to keep track of which homework assignments you have turned in and how many homework assignments you have turned in on the canvas site. If you have turned in fewer than four assignments at the end of the semester you will receive a zero for all missing homework assignments.
- You are only required to turn in 4 out of 5 homework assignments.
- Late Assignments
- If the assignment is turned in on the following day or any day thereafter, grades will be reduced by 15% for EACH day that the assignment is late. Because you are given at least one week to complete any and all assignments, there are NO exceptions to this policy.
- Make up Exams
- No make-up exams will be permitted, except under extreme circumstances. If for some reason you must miss an exam, contact me with a legitimate reason prior to the exam.
- Re-grading
- I will re-grade exams or assignments only by written request via email. Please be aware that the ENTIRE exam or assignment will be re-graded, not just the disputed question(s).
Class Attendance & Participation
Your attendance and participation are expected at all our class meetings. The classroom is an inherently social environment where we are all mutually responsible for each other’s learning. I encourage you to make friends so that, in the event that you must miss class, you can borrow someone’s notes for the session. Furthermore, if you miss class, we lose your perspective in classroom discussions and learning activities. Attendance is part of your course grade, so if unforeseen circumstances cause you to miss multiple sessions, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss the situation.
School-Life Conflict
Many unpredictable things can happen over the course of a semester. If you find yourself struggling to balance your education and your other commitments, please reach out to me immediately so that we can work together to build a plan for your success. Some of the resources in the next section may also be of use to you.
Attendance and Your Health
To achieve course learning goals, students must attend and participate in classes, according to the course requirements. However, if you have tested positive for or are experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness, you should not come to campus or attend in-person classes or activities. It is your responsibility to contact me to create a plan for participation and engagement in the course as soon as you can, and to make a plan to complete all assignments in a timely fashion.
Religious Holidays
It is your right to observe religious holidays without impacting your opportunity to learn and succeed in this course. Please reach out to me at the start of the semester so that deadlines can be reviewed in advance of your religious observations. You will still be held responsible for course content and any assignments, but you will not lose points for attendance and participation on days important to your faith.
Caregiver Responsibilities
I have great respect for students who are pursuing their education while responsible for the care of children or other family members. Please contact me if you encounter challenges that require you to miss a class session or if your caregiving responsibilities are interfering with your success in the course. Together, we may be able to find some flexibility to support your learning.
Withdrawal
If you are considering withdrawing from the course after the add/drop date, please don’t make that decision alone! Withdrawing from the course without talking to me first eliminates the possibility of finding a path to success for you. Furthermore, it is extremely important that you consult your academic advisor before withdrawing. They will be able to walk you through how the withdrawal would impact your progress towards your degree and your graduation date.
Please check the academic calendar for the last day to withdraw from a course.
Incomplete
A student will be eligible for a grade of “Incomplete” only if the student: 1) has completed at least 51% of the work at a passing level, 2) is unable to complete the work for a serious reason beyond their control, and 3) files a signed agreement with the instructor outlining the work to be completed and the time frame in which that work will be completed. The student is responsible for initiating this process, and all incomplete forms must be sent to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs prior to the start of study days in that semester.
Please refer to the following for further details: Temple University’s Incomplete Policy. (Policy #02.10.13).
Technology Guidelines
Technology Requirements
To participate in this course, you will need the equipment, software, and internet access necessary to reliably use Zoom and Canvas, as well as “productivity tools” like word processors and slide show creators.
Limited resources are available for students who do not have the technology they need for class. Students with educational technology needs, including no computer or camera or insufficient Wifi access, should submit a Student Technology Assistance Application located in TUPortal and linked from the Dean of Students Support and Resources. The University will endeavor to meet needs, such as with a long-term loan of a laptop or Mifi device, a refurbished computer, or subsidized internet access.
Note that there are technology resources available for students, including on-campus computers available for student use, the Tech Center computer labs and free laptop and battery borrowing at Charles Library, software that is available for free download and other specialty software that may be available for remote access through ITS.
Technical Support
For a listing of technical support services available to Temple University students, see the Tech Support page.
Live Chat or Request Help: help.temple.edu
Phone: 215-204-8000
Email: help@temple.edu
Website: its.temple.edu
Location: The TECH Center, Room 106
Technology Usage
Excellence in any endeavor requires attention. To that end, we need to be mindful of the unnecessary use of technology in the class. To avoid distracting yourself or others, please only use your laptop, phone, or other device for activities relevant to the course. If you find yourself needing to take a call or participate in a text, please excuse yourself from the classroom and return as soon as you are able.
Class Recording
Our Zoom meetings will be recorded, and you will have access to these through the end of the course. These recordings are intended to be for University academic and research purposes only. You may audio record in-person classes. NO VIDEO recordings are allowed in this course. You are not permitted to record, copy, publish, or redistribute audio or video recordings of any portion of the session to individuals who are not associated with the University without the express permission of the host/faculty member and of any other meeting participants who are recorded. Distribution without permission could be a violation of various privacy laws, including FERPA, as well as the Pennsylvania Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act, and possibly copyright law.
Attending Zoom meetings using an AI proxy is not allowed.
Privacy and Data Protection
Please see the links below to become familiar with the privacy policies for each of the following:
AI Policies
The use of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Microsoft CoPilot, etc.) is permitted in this course for the following activities ONLY:
- Brainstorming and refining your ideas
- Finding information on your topic
- Drafting an outline to organize your thoughts; and
- Checking grammar and style
The use of generative AI tools is NOT permitted in this course for the following activities:
- Impersonating you in classroom contexts, such as by using the tool to compose content that you put into a Zoom chat
- Writing a draft of a writing assignment
- Writing entire sentences, paragraphs, or papers to complete class assignments.
You are responsible for the information you submit based on an AI query (for instance, that it does not violate intellectual property laws, or contain misinformation or unethical content). Your use of AI tools must be properly documented AND cited in order to stay within university policies on academic honesty. See these resources for APA guidance and for other citation formats. Any assignment that is found to have used generative AI tools in unauthorized ways will result in a zero for the assignment. Multiple uses of generative AI in unauthorized ways can result in failing the course. When in doubt about permitted usage, please ask for clarification.
Academic Guidelines
Academic Freedom
Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. I have the freedom and responsibility to design and facilitate our learning environment to best achieve the promise of the course as outlined in its official description. You have the responsibility to engage with the course in good faith and freedom from mistreatment when your opinion differs from mine. Note that it is not an abuse of this freedom for me to require that you support relevant opinions with clear argumentation and solid evidence. For more on academic freedom, consult the official Temple policy on the matter.
Academic Integrity
Temple University believes strongly in academic honesty and integrity. Plagiarism and academic cheating are, therefore, prohibited. All work you submit for assessment should be your own efforts. For more on this topic, consult the relevant portions of Temple Bulletin and the Student Conduct Code.