International News: Migration Reporting

Description of Course Goals and Curriculum

The course studies refugee and asylees in Europe, the United States, and Canada. Deborah Amos, the professor, reports for the NPR and has extensive experience covering refugees. Students learn about the refugee crisis and read updated news of the United Nation and the government’s latest news on refugee policies. Specific emphasis is placed on resettlement agencies and a declining accepting of refugees in the United States.

Learning From Classroom Instruction

The course is structured with weekly assigned readings. Every week, a new speaker attends the class and readings are given in advance based on the reader’s expertise. Sometimes the readings focus on a book by the speaker, and other times the readings are news articles featuring the speaker or the topic at hand. The weekly reading commitment varies between 1-3 hours. Every week, there are also incremental writings assigned that require at least two interviews. The turnover time is demanding, and the essays are very harshly critiqued. You learn a lot but the grading is very hard. The end of the semester focuses on an end of the year project based on the fall break reporting trip in Winnipeg and Toronto, Canada.

Learning For and From Assignments

Assignments rely on the weekly reported pieces and the end of the semester project which is a 2000 word report. Every week 500 word reflections on readings are required. The course includes a fall break trip where the team is constantly eating lunches and dinners with reporters, speakers, or refugee-affiliated organizations. There’s little time to explore the city since the bulk of the trip focuses on analyzing refugee statuses in Toronto and Winnipeg. You have the opportunity to meet with Deborah, who is very accessible, and provides very good feedback on papers. Deborah also connects you with interviewees who are experts in their fields.

External Resources

Learn how to use Trint, which transcribes interview recordings. The journalism department often provides free Trint services. Make sure to stay on top of the two interviews because getting responses is really hard but deadlines are everything in journalism. Always keep a notebook and a pen around. Consider using online voice recorders for phone calls and ask for permission when recording interviews.

What Students Should Know About This Course For Purposes Of Course Selection

Do not take the course only because of the fall break trip. The coursework is extremely focused on refugees and asylees and you will learn a lot about the topic, but the grading depends on writing with perfect grammar and knowing the subject (refugees + asylees) really well. Always stay on top of contacting interviews and get them out of the way. It’s easier to interview first and write the piece yourself later. In Canada, expect to live in great accommodations but note that the trip is not a vacation: you will spend a lot of time reporting on refugees and asylees, and learn more about Canada’s acceptance of refugees. The topic is extremely relevant for all those remotely interested in human rights and the Trump administration’s approach to refugee resettlement.