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| HOME » IMMIGRATION WORKSHOP |
IMMIGRATION WORKSHOP: TWO YEARS AND GOING STRONG
 The Immigration Workshop was formed in the 2003-2004 academic year, with startup funding from IIR. Participation is informal, but immersive. The topical focus is very wide, to encourage cross-fertilization of ideas. Doctoral-level students are largest single cohort of members, and one of the Workshop’s primary goals is to give doctoral candidates a forum where they can receive feedback and suggestions as they work on their dissertations.
News and Events. Lunch--and Rigorous Peer Review
Meetings begin with news and announcements, but the majority of time is given to one or two presenters, who prepare a paper for group discussion. Papers may take many different shapes, but often are chapters of dissertation, presented as works-in-progress. A student member of the Workshop plays the role of discussant, offering comment and evaluation as overview, and then the floor is opened for general discussion. The process serves multiple purposes: first and foremost, to provide substantive, yet supportive feedback, but also, to get students interested in the dynamics of academic publishing, peer review and the development of career-spanning research strategies.
"It's critical for students to get together to learn from each other, building intellectual and social support mechanisms as they go through the doctoral program. They also learn to give—and perhaps more importantly—receive thoughtful feedback,” Professor Bloemraad said. “A scholarly career is launched before the dissertation is signed and delivered, and the Workshop helps students get used to rigorous peer review.”
Understanding Migration
Multiple approaches to migration are not only a good idea, but a vital strategy for researchers interested in studying 21st century migration. “Migration obviously touches all aspects of American life, from the labor market and debates about government spending, to cultural changes, civic and political engagement and the meaning of being ‘American’,” Bloemraad said. “There’s a real need for new, interdisciplinary research in this area, which will help reveal not only the economic motives for and consequences of migration, but also the complex social, cultural and political factors that play a role.” The interdisciplinary nature of immigration is reflected in the workshop’s participants, who come from Sociology, Political Science, Jurisprudence and Social Policy, Ethnic Studies, Anthropology and Social Welfare.
April Conference at UC Berkeley’s IIR
The Immigration Workshop is sponsoring a conference at the Institute of Industrial Relations on April 21, 2006. Unlike many campus events, which emphasize faculty research, this conference will put the spotlight on student research. The conference papers will be published via the IIR Web and the California Digital Library’s eScholarship Repository, a UC systemwide resource for academic research. Professor Bloemraad is particularly excited about the event, not only as a way to highlight student research, but also to showcase cutting edge work in the field of immigration, “This conference should be of interest to everyone concerned about immigration, including practitioners, advocates and faculty. Our students are doing some of the best new work in the field.”
For more on the conference visit: Spotlight on Immigration: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Immigrants and Their Children
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