SCWK6609 · Social Work
School of Social Work
This course will analyze borderlands dynamics, their impact on international human mobility, and different disciplinary approaches to create effective interventions and/or regional analysis. Recently, global border regions have taken front and center in discussions of migration and forced migration. Emerging nationalistic sentiments have fostered policies and dynamics to increase surveillance, control, and conflict along border regions. The "Remain in Mexico'' and Title 42 policies are some examples of how the United States government externalizes its borders and enforces policies that impact peoples' lives at different levels. Furthermore, border regions remain lively, as local and foreign populations interact and try to navigate the unfolding dynamics of human mobility. This course offers the opportunity to understand and analyze different contexts in border regions, as well as the opportunity to interact with students from different disciplinary backgrounds. It also allows students to identify vulnerable populations in these settings, and to reflect on the impact their particular discipline has in understanding and participating in borderland dynamics.This course is a travel course that requires the completion of two on-line modules, participation in two on-line sessions before departure, 8 days of immersion during the Spring Break in the San Diego, U.S.-Tijuana, Mexico region, and one additional session upon return.Participants will need to cover their transportation costs and the course fee.NOTE: The days for the immersion will comprise different sessions and encounters with organizations on the ground. Due to the current pandemic, some sessions may have to be online while either in San Diego or Tijuana. Participants need to have a current passport and required visas to travel.
Course experience
Averages use the original five-point historical evaluation scale.
Organization
4.6 / 5
How well the course was organized
Challenge
4.8 / 5
How intellectually challenging students found it
Attendance
5.0 / 5
How necessary attendance was
Assignments
4.8 / 5
How helpful assignments were
Weekly effort
~4.5
hours per week
Estimated from the original workload response buckets. Individual sections may differ.
Instructor options
Ratings below reflect only recovered evaluations connected to this course.
Student perspective
Recovered and new anonymous comments are shown as written and may reflect different course formats.
May 19, 2026 · Historical comment
Professor Alejandro is engaging, passionate, intentional, and kind. The immersion was exhausting and I was a little overwhelmed, but it was still a very meaningful and cool experience and I learned a lot. The Perusalls were VERY time consuming and boring. Grading was lenient.
Across time
Section-level results available in the recovered archive.
Spring 2025
1 sectionSpring 2024
1 sectionSpring 2023
1 sectionSpring 2022
1 section