Law & Literature: Immigrant Experience

This seminar uses literature, including fiction, drama, essays and other writings, to consider the ways in which the immigrant experience is expressed to broaden students' perspective on the law. We will center our discussion of these various writings on the background legal framework, which will involve legal readings in order to understand and provide context. We also will address the critical importance of writing well as a means of communicating effectively, and we will emphasize the fundamental relevance of human relationships in both literature and the law. The seminar is structured to encourage active student participation, critical thinking and writing, and thoughtful discussion. Grading and Method of Evaluation: Letter grade only. Students will be responsible for one small group class presentation. Students will write a series of short papers including both fiction, memoir, blog posts/op eds. There will also be a final paper based on a book or series of books about the immigrant experience. These papers, in combination, will satisfy the Upper Level Writing Requirement. A student may, with the prior permission of the professors, be able to write, in place of one required short paper, a longer research paper that will go through multiple drafts and otherwise meet the ULWR guidelines. There is no final exam. Recommended (not required): Immigration Law and/or experience working in that area of practice