In collaboration with refugee resettlement centers in New York State, this community-engaged course will explore: the global systems of inequality that produce forced migration; the politics of who gets to be a refugee; the uncertain pathways from conflict to internal displacement and/or non-permanent settlement; the comparative racialization of refugees in the United States; the process by which refugees are resettled in Upstate New York; the challenges and opportunities of community integration in three Upstate NY cities; and the role of local schools and universities in promoting refugee justice and community building. Students will work on collaborative projects with refugee-supporting organizations in Upstate NY and will be required to attend at least one course-organized site visit to a partner organization in Buffalo, Syracuse or Utica.

Outcome 1
Describe some of the major theoretical and practical conundrums and debates in the field of refugee studies.

Outcome 2
Evaluate and critically respond to arguments made by leading migration scholars.

Outcome 3
Explain the main actors, processes, and governance structures that dictate forced migration, non-permanent settlements and refugee resettlement in a variety of contexts.

Outcome 4
Compose high-quality work products that are relevant to the practice of refugee resettlement in Upstate New York.

Outcome 5
Differentiate between the pathways, challenges, and opportunities associated with resettlement for various refugee groups.

Outcome 6
Recommend ways that educational institutions can best support refugees from various backgrounds.