Teaching Immigration in an Era of Surveillance: Civil Discourse, Narrative Inquiry, COIL as Practices of Liberation

• In Event: From Surveillance to Solidarity: Teaching Amid the Immigration Crisis (Co-sponsored by Race, Gender, and Class Section)

Abstract

This paper examines three evidence-based pedagogical strategies for teaching the sociology of immigration in politically polarized and highly surveilled contexts: (1) structured civil discourse, (2) scaffolded immigration narratives, and (3) Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). Drawing on seven years of teaching Sociology of Immigration at The Ohio State University across large in-person and online formats, I analyze how these practices respond to intensifying national immigration debates and state-level policy shifts, including Ohio’s “Advance Ohio Higher Education Act” (SB1), which restricts diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and mandates “intellectual diversity” in discussions of controversial issues.
As immigration enforcement, executive orders, and border policy have become central flashpoints, particularly during the first and second administrations of Donald Trump, the sociology classroom has grown more visible and vulnerable. Instructors and students alike face risks ranging from public scrutiny of syllabi to heightened anxiety among immigrant and international students. The challenge is not whether to address immigration politics, but how to do so in ways that are rigorous, dialogic, and protective of vulnerable communities.
First, I implement a structured civil discourse framework, including co-created discussion norms and the “4Cs” (Curious, Charitable, Conscientious, Constructive), to foster evidence-based dialogue and reduce harm in contentious discussions. Second, a scaffolded immigration narrative essay assignment cultivates sociological imagination and ethical perspective-taking while safeguarding student privacy. Third, a COIL partnership with a Turkish university engages students in comparative migration research, expanding analysis beyond U.S.-centric frames and building intercultural competence.
Together, these strategies treat pedagogy as relational, ethical, and political practice. Assessment data and student reflections indicate increased confidence in engaging disagreement, deeper structural analysis, and greater empathy. Even amid surveillance and politicized scrutiny, the sociology classroom can function as a structured space for democratic practice, critical inquiry, and collective care.

Author

• Danielle V. Schoon, The Ohio State University