Citizenship, Immigration and Globalization (GLA2011H) (LAW262H1S)

Citizenship and immigration have become hot-button legal issues in recent years in Canada, as well as in many other destination countries. Debates range from admission questions--who should be allowed to enter, according to what criteria, and for how long--to queries about the civil rights of migrants, cultural diversity, and the level of integration that can legitimately be expected from newcomers once they have settled in the country. Another emerging topic is the growing impact of economic remittances, transnational investments, and political contributions by dual citizens in both sending and receiving countries. This course will explore these new developments, placing them in the broader context of Canadian immigration law, history, and policy. We will also refer to comparative evidence from the United States, Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Singapore, as well as examine the changing conceptions of membership in leading emigrant-sending countries, including Mexico, India and China. With this global perspective in mind, we will chart the new terrain for Canadian citizenship and immigration law and policy for the twenty-first century.