GENED 1089: The Border: Race, Politics, and Health in Modern Mexico

If we want to understand our own history we need to look at the fringes, in this case the ongoing tensions and violence at the U.S.-Mexico border illustrates what we value and fear as a society.

 

GENED 1089 is now full (there are 37 seats held in reserve for incoming students). If you would like to remain in consideration for this course, please keep your approved petition active. If seats open up you are then welcome to enroll. More seats might become available in August after the incoming students have registered, so please check back in then if you are still interested in taking the course.

 

 

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Course goals:

The course is divided into three (3) sections and each has a concrete objective:

1. Historical background that situates our course and examines Mexico’s history from the 1830s- 1930s. We cannot fully comprehend twentieth and twenty-first century policies surrounding the border without a good understanding of the policies and ideas birthed in the nineteenth century. To think about these issues critically, we need to understand Mexico’s history.
2. Case studies pertaining to Mexicans/Mexican- Americans along the border region and in the United States from the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2020. This section will help to understand how certain decisions or policies affect the health and well being of people at the border.
3. Contemporary ethnographies of migrant health in the U.S. This final section illustrate how border policies are not constrained to the border region but rather impact the lives of individuals often far removed from the physical U.S.-Mexico border.

Given our country’s current focus on the U.S.-Mexico border please be advised that, while unlikely, some weekly topics might be altered slightly (a short reading substituted or added, for example) so we can be conversant with the daily new.

Course format:

Attendance in lecture and section is mandatory and participation is essential. I request that everyone be present during class and section.

Students are asked to do their readings before coming to lecture and section and post a question, a one sentence reflection, or image that came to mind about the readings on the online discussion board once a week by Sundays 11:59 p.m. ET.

Questions should reflect students’ engagement with the material and should spark an on-line discussion. Students should feel free to read others’ questions to come prepared to discuss ideas in class. The on-line discussion board is also the site for further student discussion and participation. I highly encourage students to share relevant and interesting material there.

Typical enrollees:

Someone interested in the historical roots of one of the most intense political debates of our current era. This course also tends to attract many students from border states who invariably always ask, "why didn't I learn this in high school?" In addition to the above, the course also attracts students who may be or are interested in the Latinx experience.

When is course typically offered?

This course is typically offered in the Fall

What can students expect from you as an instructor?

I am a storyteller and as such I will populate lectures with historical anecdotes or first-hand accounts from historical actors. I can guarantee that years later you will remember a complicated political decision because of a story that was attached to it. Lectures are interspersed with video clips, audio, or music. I am passionate about the subject matter and feel that all Americans need to understand this history, I thus try to convey that importance in every lecture.

Assignments and grading:

Grades & Evaluations (Tentative):

Weekly discussion board: 10%
Film Analysis: 15%
Short critical analysis: 10%
Oral history: 15%
Final project: 30%
Participation/Lecture and Section Attendance: 20%

Assignments:

There will be no exams. Grades will be based, as listed above, on four written assignments: an essay, an oral history, a film analysis, and a short critical analysis.

Past syllabus:

Syllabus from Fall 2022

Absence and late work policies:

Absences:

For absences to be excused, medical or other documentation needs to be provided.

Discussion section:

A required section meeting will be held weekly. Students will have the opportunity to discuss general and module readings more deeply, to think about the reading’s relevance and applicability in their projects, and to discuss and review the progress of their work.

Academic Integrity and Collaboration:

Discussion and the exchange of ideas are essential to academic work. For the writing assignments in this course, you are encouraged to consult with your classmates on the choice of topic and for advice about picking useful sources. However, you should ensure that any written work which you submit for evaluation is the result of your own research and writing (and your writing alone), and that it reflects your own approach to the topic. You must also adhere to standard citation practices in this discipline and properly cite any books, articles, websites, lectures, etc., that have helped you with your work. You should also acknowledge anyone who provided substantial help with your research or writing (e.g., feedback on drafts from colleagues, etc.). For help with citation usage and formatting, please consult the Harvard Guide to Using Sources, which is used in Freshman Expos and which can be found online at:

http://usingsources.fas.harvard.edu

Use of AI Technology

This course encourages students to explore the use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools such as ChatGPT for all assignments and assessments. Any such use must be appropriately acknowledged and cited. It is each student’s responsibility to assess the validity and applicability of any GAI output that is submitted; you bear the final responsibility. Violations of this policy will be considered academic misconduct. We draw your attention to the fact that different classes at Harvard could implement different AI policies, and it is the student’s responsibility to conform to expectations for each course. 

Honor Code:

Students are expected to adhere to the values and practices of the Harvard College Honor Code in all of their work: “Members of the Harvard College community commit themselves to producing academic work of integrity – that is, work that adheres to the scholarly and intellectual standards of accurate attribution of sources, appropriate collection and use of data, and transparent acknowledgement of the contribution of others to their ideas, discoveries, interpretations, and conclusions. Cheating on exams or problem sets, plagiarizing or misrepresenting the ideas or language of someone else as one’s own, falsifying data, or any other instance of academic dishonesty violates the standards of our community, as well as the standards of the wider world of learning and affairs.”

Accommodations:

Any student needing academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to present their letter from the Accessible Education Office (AEO) and speak with the professor by the end of the second week of the term. Failure to do so may result in the course head's inability to respond in a timely manner.  All discussions will remain confidential, although AEO may be consulted to discuss appropriate implementation.

Late Assignments:

We are living in unusual times, if something unexpected arises, please contact me or your TF as soon as possible. This is especially important if you feel  you cannot complete an assignment on time.