2011-12 A Conversation on Immigration

The Conversation on Immigration begins the Conversations on Morality, Politics, and Society (COMPAS) program of the OSU Center for Ethics and Human Values.

Immigration's importance as a social issue is rivaled only by its complexity. However, public discourse on the topic rarely reflects that complexity. Too often we get facile slogans rooted in poor information and shallow reasoning, expressed with deplorable incivility. OSU is uniquely well placed to raise the level of discourse by bringing students, scholars, public officials, organizations within civil society, and the general public into dialog with one another. Indeed, the interlocking array of issues posed by immigration is practically pan-disciplinary, making it an ideal choice for a university-wide academic initiative. The moral urgency of these issues makes it an incumbent choice for reaching beyond the university.