CGS 130 PZ -Credible Fears: Critical Asylum Studies

Institution: Pitzer College

Description: The global refugee crisis is one of the most urgent issues of our times. This course offers an introduction to one aspect of this crisis: the legal framework governing how individuals seek, attain, or are denied asylum in the U.S. We will focus on the key principles and elements of U.S. asylum law, the established U.S. policies and practices asylum-seekers must navigate, recent developments, and hot-button issues. We will also explore the historical and philosophical background that gave rise to the development of international refugee law. Why does asylum exist? Who merits asylum and why?