HIST 3500A: Migration and Diaspora in Canada
HIST 3500A: Migration and Diaspora in Canada
Fall 2025
Instructor: Professor Laura Madokoro
Introduction: Each year, approximately 200,000 people migrate to Canada. Thousands more become Canadian citizens and many others are resettled or accepted as refugees. Recognizing the significant role that migration plays in our inter-connected world, this course takes an in-depth look at the history of migration, diaspora, and settlement to, from and within Canada. The term diaspora refers to the connections that migrants maintain with their homelands and migrants in other parts of the world. It often evokes forced migration and the experience of refugees and other people who have been coerced into migrating within or across international borders. Using a diasporic framework, the course focuses on the lived experience of migrants using a thematic approach that explores subjects such as food, culture, and exclusion at multiple scales (local, national, and international). It is a dynamic class that connects the politics of the present with histories of migration and settlement, including Indigenous – migrant relations.
Class Format: The class meets once a week (3 hour block) with the time split between lectures, discussions, walking tours, and other hands-on activities.
Aims and Goals: The aim of this course is to provide an overview of migration, diaspora, and settlement to, from, and within, the place we now call Canada to enhance our understanding of community and connection. Students will learn about keywords used in the study of migration and diaspora (including mobility, displacement, settlement) and about events within and beyond Canada that have shaped the experiences of migration, arrival, integration, and diasporic connections.
Assessment: Assessment for the course is based on a series of reading reflections and a final research project.
Text: Readings for the course consist of a variety of essays and academic articles as well as a range of textual, audio, and visual primary sources.
Questions? Please email me at: laura.madokoro@carleton.ca