While the phenomenon of both voluntary and forced migration has gained political salience in the 21st century, mobility is one of the oldest human experiences. This course aims to introduce students to fundamental frameworks for understanding i) both the history and contemporary evolution of international migration, ii) its global governance system and related categories and definitions, iii) the causes and consequences of different types of human mobility in countries of origin, transit, and destination, iv) the politicization of international migration. The course focuses geographically on the Americas.