PSC 408F - Border Politics

(3 units) CO10, CO11

This class explores several problems shared between the United States, Mexico, and the Northern Triangle of Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador): organized crime, transnational gangs, and migration – as well as the interconnections between these issues. We’ll look at how U.S. policies during the Cold War, as well as contemporary politics, have fueled cycles of violence and contributed to a transnational crisis between the U.S. and the Northern Triangle of Central America.

Maximum units a student may earn: 3

Prerequisite(s): PSC 211

Grading Basis: Graded
Units of Lecture: 3
Offered: Every Fall - Even Years

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. discuss how US policy has impacted violence in Mexico and the Northern Triangle.
2. recognize and analyze the numerous factors contributing to migration from Mexico and the Northern Triangle to the US.
3. explain and contrast various theories of how politics impacts organized criminal groups, gangs, and violence – as well as how these impact politics.
4. describe the evolution of border enforcement and immigration policies in the US.
5. critically evaluate a range of academic, creative, and other methods, and use these sources to understand the historical and contemporary politics of borders and immigration in the US, Mexico, and the Northern Triangle.

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