1
Ethnic Studies 410/510
MW/12:00-1:20 p.m.
Class Location:101 VOL
Dr. Irum Shiekh
[email protected]
Office hours: MW 2:00-3:00 or by
appointment @ Alder Building 216
To be finalized in the first week of class
Forced Removals/Detentions of the 20th Century and Beyond
Wartime Hysteria and the Scapegoating of Vulnerable Populations
In this class, we will critically examine a series of wartime emergency detentions/deportations that have occurred since the beginning of the 20th century in the US. We will start our analysis from the Palmer Raids (1919-­‐1920) when the U.S. government perceived Communists as a threat, leading to the detention and deportation of several thousand Russian and Eastern European immigrants. A few decades later, after the attacks on Pearl Harbor, Japanese-­‐Americans were targeted and as a result over 110,000 individuals were placed in internment camps along with approximately 2,000 Japanese individuals from Latin America. With the beginning of the Cold War, the loyalties of Communists and Chinese Americans were questioned. Many were blacklisted, targeted, arrested and deported. After the attacks of 9/11, Arabs/Muslims and Muslim-­‐looking populations became the victims of racial profiling, detentions and deportations. Thousands without any connections to terrorism, were detained and kept in high security jails within the US. In addition, several hundred individuals languished at Guantanamo Bay and at several secret prisons throughout the world. We hope that this historical and comparative analysis will allow us to effectively deconstruct wartime hysteria and prepare us to stand up for our civil rights and the rights of vulnerable populations. Format of the Class: The format of the class includes weekly lectures, student presentations, film/documentary viewings and in-­‐class discussions of readings and journal entries. You will be required to participate in the discussions by sharing journal entries, asking questions about reading assignments, and making class presentations. The purpose of these discussions is to make you feel more comfortable in expressing your opinions in a large group setting. Class Assignments: Journal entries: 18%. You must submit a written response (1-­‐2 pages) to the assigned topics and readings as listed on the syllabus (a total of 9 nine journals). In your journal you can reflect on any of themes present in the readings. The purpose of this assignment is to ensure that you can reflect on reading concepts and themes in a meaningful way. Please note that this journal should include your personal reflections to the readings—you don’t need to agree with the readings but your journal should illustrate that you have conducted a critical analysis of the assigned readings. Plan to share your journal with the class during the discussion session. Late journals will not be accepted. 2
Class presentations on readings and films/documentaries: 25%. Select a set of readings, films/documentaries on a topic listed in the syllabus and share your understanding and analysis of the assigned material with the class. Your class presentation and discussion should provide a quick summary of the assigned material and link it to the larger themes of civil liberties/detentions/deportations/wartime emergencies. Prepare a one-­‐page written handout for your fellow students in which you highlight some of the key concepts included in the readings and ask discussion questions. The overall purpose of this assignment is to help you feel comfortable in leading a discussion session. Final abstract and bibliography: 12%. In the last week of class, you will be required to submit a one-­‐page abstract of your final paper along with a list of resources that you will be using to support your argument. You will also be required to share your topic area with the class and request feedback. Final Project: Select A or B. A. Research Paper: 40%-­‐-­‐ Your final project will consist of a written paper (8-­‐10 pages) addressing any of the themes discussed in the class including but not limited to civil liberties and the aftermath of wartime emergencies (historical or contemporary). You must use at least three scholarly articles to support your argument. Your paper can include an oral history or you can use a historical or theoretical framework to illustrate your understanding of the themes discussed in the class. You will also briefly discuss your research topic, major findings and methodology during the last week of class. Please obtain final approval from the instructor for your research topic. Your paper must be emailed to [email protected] by Friday December 7th midnight. B. Creative Project: 40%-­‐-­‐Your final project can be a creative project such as a short video, a collection of archival photographs, or a short story. In the creative project, you must address some of the themes discussed in the class. Please obtain instructor’s approval for your creative project. The project is due on Friday December 7th by midnight. Production equipment such as cameras are available for loan from Media Services located in the Knight library. Grading Policy: Grading breakdown for the class is as follows: 1. Journals: 18% 2. Class presentation: 25% 3. Final abstract and bibliography: 12% 4. Final research paper: 30% 5. Attendance: 10% 6. Participation: 5% 3
Grading Scale: 1. A+ = 97-­‐100 A= 93-­‐100 A-­‐ = 90-­‐92 2. B+ = 87-­‐89 B = 83-­‐86 B-­‐ = 80-­‐82 3. C+ = 77-­‐ 79 C = 73-­‐76 C-­‐ = 70-­‐72 4. D+ -­‐ 67-­‐69 D= 63-­‐66 D-­‐ 60-­‐62 5. F = 59 and below. Required Texts: Assigned readings will be made available electronically on blackboard. 4
Week 1 Introductions/Themes/ Introduction 1st Week (Session 1: Monday Sept. 24th) Introductions—Write a letter to your instructor—in your letter explain your reasons for taking the class. What do you hope to learn? What other ES classes have you taken? Anything unique and interesting that you want to share with the instructor/class? Journal Assignment #1 due on September 26th: Write your review of the syllabus—
readings and assignments—what should be added/deleted? What do you think of the assignments? 1st Journal Assignment Due in Class 1st Week (Session 2: Wednesday Discuss Journal Entries in class: Review of the course outline, objectives and assignments, Sept. 26th) discuss and finalize the syllabus Assigned Readings/Documentaries for Week 2: 1. Alan Dershowitz, “Introduction: Where Do Rights Come From?” in Rights From Wrongs: A Secular Theory of the Origins of Rights. New York: Basic Books, 2004, pages 1-­‐11. 2. Watch Disobedience, Milgram Experiment (1962) available at youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpGJjNUbmpo 3. Watch Stanford University Prison Experiment (1971) available on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK6nKJ4yhdw&feature=related Week 2 2nd Week (Session 1: Monday October 1st) 4. Watch Standard Operating Procedures (2008) available on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YooG1hrPNNg&feature=relmfu Journal Assignment # 2 due on October 1st: Write a one-­‐page response to one or more of the readings or the documentaries— Definitions—Knowing Our Rights 2nd Journal Assignment Due in Class In Class Discussion: In class discussion of Journal #2; confirm presentation schedule; watch portions of documentaries and explore the concepts of power, authority and consent; define and discuss key terms 5
2nd Week (Session 2—
Wednesday October 3rd) Library research session with Miriam Rigby at Edmiston computer classroom in Knight Library (1st floor, Room 144)—use this session to find articles/resources for your midterm/final assignments. Assigned Readings for Week 3: 1. Stanley Coben, A. Mitchell Palmer: Politician. Columbia University Press, 1963, pages 197-­‐245. 2. Finan, Christopher M. From the Palmer Raids to the Patriot Act: A History of the Fight for Free Speech in America. Boston, Mass: Beacon Press, 2007, pages 38-­‐72. Week 3 3rd Week (Session 1, Monday October 8th) 3rd Week 3. Watch Reds (1981) a dramatic story of the political climate around Russian Revolution Journal Assignment #3 due on October 8th : Write a one-­‐page response to one or more of the readings or the documentaries— Historic Overview of Wartime Emergencies and Vulnerable Populations 3rd Journal Assignment Due in Class Lecture:— Overview of wartime emergencies in the US from 1798 until 9/11 Focus on Palmer Raids 1st Student presentation on the 3rd week assigned readings/documentaries (Session 2, Wednesday Assigned Readings for Week 4: October 10th) 1. John Dower “Know Your Enemy” from War Without Mercy: Race and Power in the Pacific War. New York: Pantheon, 1986, pages 15-­‐32. 2. Jere Takahashi, “Lower the Anchor: Formation of Nisei Perspectives” from Nisei Sansei: Shifting Japanese American Identities and Politics. Philadelphia: Temple Univ. Press, 1997, Pages 48-­‐84. 3. Greg Robinson, “FDR’s Decision to Intern” from By Order of the President: FDR and the Internment of Japanese Americans. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 2001, pages 73-­‐124. 4. Watch Know Your Enemy: Japan(1945) available at youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBIfnPyK4rw 5. Watch Conscience and the Constitution (2000) available at Knight library, Video Tape 05554 Journal Assignment #4 due on October 15th : Write a one-­‐page response to one or more of the readings or the documentaries— 6
Week 4 4th Week (Session 1, Monday October 15th) 4th Week (Session 2, Wednesday October 17th) WWII and Japanese-­‐American Internment 4th Journal Assignment Due in Class Lecture: Manufacturing an enemy: From Internment to Redress. 2nd student presentation on the 4th week assigned readings/documentaries Assigned Readings for Week 5: 1. Daniel Masterson and Sayaka Funada-­‐Classen. “The Impact of the Asian War, 1938-­‐
52” in The Japanese in Latin America. The Asian American experience. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2004, pages 112-­‐149. 2. C. Harvey Gardiner, Pawns in a Triangle of Hate: The Peruvian Japanese and the United States. University of Washington Press, 1981, pages 12-­‐24. 3. John Emerson, The Japanese Thread: A Life in the U.S. Foreign Service. New York : Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1978, pages 125-­‐149. Week 5 5th Week (Session 1, Monday October 22nd) 5th Week (Session 2, Wednesday October 24th) 4. Watch: Hidden Internment: The Art Shibayama Story (2004) ordered for the class Journal Assignment #5 on October 22nd : Write a one-­‐page response to one or more of the readings or the documentaries— Global Implications of World War II Lecture: Internment of Japanese Latin Americans. 5th Journal Assignment Due in Class 3rd student presentation on the 5th week assigned readings/documentaries Readings for Week 6: 1. Ellen Schrecker, “In the Gutter, the Anticommunism of Joe McCarthy” Many are the Crimes: McCarthyism in America. Boston: Little, Brown, 1998, pages 241-­‐265. 2. Iris Chang, “Rumblings of Hatred”; “The Chinese Exclusion Act” and “A Mass Inquisition: the Cold War, the Chinese Civil War, and McCarthyism” from The Chinese in America: A Narrative History, NY: Viking, 2003, pages 116-­‐156 and 236-­‐
260. 3. Watch Good Night and Good Luck (2005) ordered for the class 4. Watch The Chinatown files (2001), ordered for the class. 5. Watch Edward R. Murrow vs. Jose McCarthy available at youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4LZsDqSSfk&feature=related Journal #6 due on October 29th: Write a one-­‐page response to one or more of the readings or the documentaries— 7
Week 6 6th Week (Session 1, Monday October 29th) 6th Week (Session 2, October 31st) The Beginning of the Cold War 6th Journal Assignment Due in Class Lecture: Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare with a focus on McCarthyism and Chinese Americans 4th Student presentation on the 6th week assigned readings/documentaries Assigned Readings for Week 7: 1. Rana, Junaid Terrifying Muslims: Race and Labor in the South Asia Diaspora, Durham: Duke University Press, 2011, Pages 25-­‐49. 2. Bayoumi, Moustafa. How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America. New York: Penguin Press, 2008, Pages 38-­‐52. 3. Watch Reel Bad Arabs (2006) available online at http://freedocumentaries.org/teatro.php?filmID=316&lan=en&size=big Journal Assignment #7 due on November 5th: Write a one-­‐page response to one or more of the readings or the documentaries— 9/11 and its Impacts on Vulnerable Populations within the US 7th Journal Assignment Due in Class Lecture: The Making of a Terrorist before and after 9/11
Week 7 7th Week Session 1, Monday November 5th 7th Week 5th Student presentation on the 7th week assigned readings/documentaries Session 2, Wednesday November 7th Assigned Readings for Week 8: 1. Shiekh, Irum. Detained Without Cause: Muslims' Stories of Detention and Deportation in America After 9/11. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011, pages 1-­‐
29. 2. Tram Nguyen, We Are All Suspects Now: Untold Stories from Immigrant Communities After 9/11. Boston: Beacon Press, 2005, pages 45-­‐90. 3. Watch: Persons of Interest (2004), ordered for the class. 4. Watch A Dream in Doubt (2007), ordered for the class. Journal Assignment #8 due on November 12th: Write a one-­‐page response to one or more of the readings or the documentaries— 8
Week 8 8th Week Session 1 9/11 Detentions/Deportations 8th Journal Assignment Due in Class Lecture: Patterns of Detentions and Deportations Monday November 12th 8th Week 6th Student presentation on the 8th week assigned readings/documentaries Session 2: Wednesday November Assigned Readings for Week 9: 14th 1. Begg, Moazzam. Enemy Combatant: My Imprisonment at Guantanamo, Bagram, and Kandahar. New York: New Press, 2007, Pages 1-­‐41. 2. Denbeaux, Mark and Jonathan Hafetz, editors. The Guantanamo Lawyers: Inside a Prison Outside the Law. New York: NYU Press, 2009, Pages 13-­‐103 3. Watch: Frontline documentary about extraordinary rendition available online at http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/rendition701/. 4. Watch: Frontline documentary about Guantanamo, A Glimpse Inside Guantanamo (2005) available online http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/torture/behind/video.html 5. Watch Gitmo (2007), a docudrama ordered for the class. Journal Assignment #9 due on November 19th: Write a one-­‐page response to one or more of the readings or the documentaries— Week 9 Guantanamo and global Implications of the war on Terror 9th Week Session 1, Monday November 19th 9th Week 9th Journal Assignment Due in Class Lecture: Guantanamo and global Implications of the war on Terror
7th student presentation on the 9th week assigned readings/documentaries Session 2, Wednesday November Assigned Readings for Week 10: None—work on your abstract and bibliography—contact Miriam Rigby @ [email protected] for research questions 21st 9
Week 10 10th Week Session 1, Monday November 26th 10th Week Session 2 Wednesday November 28th Final Paper/ Project Global Implications of the War on Terror and Neo-­‐colonialism Lecture: Secret prisons, drone attacks and targeted killings—US imperialism in the 21st century Discussion about the finals -­‐-­‐Students to share their final abstracts with the class Final abstract and bibliography Due in Class Final paper/project due electronically at [email protected] by Friday midnight December 7th Grades due on December 11th, Tuesday Noon