Refugees, Asylum-Seekers, and Internally Displaced Persons
Today, the number of displaced people is at its highest: one out of every 113 people on Earth. Saint Louis has a long history of refugee resettlement, which uniquely positions us to question our concepts of both local and global citizenship. This two semester course sequence will equip first-year students to think critically and skeptically about the different factors, such as internal and international displacement, legal and clandestine border crossing, the role of international aid organizations, the concept of asylum, language learning and education, integration, among others, that impact the lives of refugees, asylum seekers, and the internally displaced across the world. This unique, yearlong opportunity led by four instructors from different disciplines brings together a community of engaged students and faculty interested in understanding global affairs and exploring how our own mental maps compare to the realities of a globalized world.
An additional weekly workshop will foster critical thinking and push students to explore themes from their faculty-led courses. An optional trip during Spring Break will provide further opportunities for hands-on learning and interaction with organizations and people involved in the themes of the course.