Historically associated with privately held enclosures within urban space (churches, homes, gardens), "sanctuary" is increasingly understood as a public practice that shapes public policy. This course explores the role of so-called "sanctuary cities", municipalities that limit their collaboration with (and sometimes openly defy) state and federal agencies within the bitter struggle to reform the US immigration system. We examine the historical records, interviews, legal statutes, executive orders, artistic projects, and literature that have shaped this contested issue, with particular focus on how cities at once activate and restrict the revolutionary potential of sanctuary.
