I’m Els de Graauw, professor for Seminar 2.  I’m a faculty member in the Baruch political science department, where I teach courses on American government and immigration. In addition to teaching, I conduct research on the local politics of immigrant integration, and currently I have under way a comparative study of city immigrant affairs offices across the United States.

Els in Lucerne, Switzerland

I am an immigrant myself.  I was born and raised in the Netherlands, where I also completed my college (with a major in American Studies).  I then earned a Ph.D. degree in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley, worked as a researcher at Harvard University and Cornell University, and came to Baruch in 2009.  I’ve been enjoying teaching at Baruch in large part because of the incredibly diverse student body here.  You might not think much of it, but it’s very unusual to teach (or be part of) a class like ours, where the majority of students are first- and second-generation immigrants.

While I love big city life, I also like the wild outdoors to camp, hike, and ski.  This year, I also hope to refine my photography skills, finish a couple of sewing projects, and learn a few new baking recipes.  I also look forward to my spring break escape to Los Angeles and hope to get a pet (wiener dog!) this year.

If you have questions about any aspect of the course, I invite you to come to my office hours (every M &W 3-4pm) or send me an email at Els.deGraauw@baruch.cuny.edu.