Over the past few decades, East Asia has become a new destination region for migrants, the phenomenon of which is continuing to cause fierce public and political discussions on national identity and immigration and integration policies. This course explores various types, debates, and industries of migration in contemporary East Asia. While we focus largely on Japan and South Korea, we also have an opportunity to discuss migrant experiences in other popular destination and origin countries in Asia including China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Taiwan. Starting with the major theories and concepts in international migration, we examine East Asian migration regimes, connections between migration and high- and low-skilled labor, gender, co-ethnics, and families, as well as state, public, and civil society responses to migration.
