ASOA05055U Migration, Refugees and citizenship in a Globalized World

Volume 2014/2015
Education
BA+MA elective courses
Content

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Human migration has shaped the world we live in and, despite contemporary efforts to control the movement of people, there is every reason to believe that migration will continue to shape human communities—and world politics—in the future. The massive movement of people across national boundaries is fuelled by a host of powerful forces, including: refugees whom states are obligated to protect, rising demand for both skilled and unskilled labour in aging industrial societies; a decreased capacity or willingness to control the movement of people in a globalised world economy; and the continued upheaval and lack of opportunity in large parts of the developing countries. Taken together, the forces that favour migration might seem to resemble the proverbial irresistible force. At the same time, immigration is accompanied by a host of social, economic and political tensions. Migrants are blamed for increased crime and social disintegration. Immigration provokes fears of reduced wages and increased competition for jobs, social services, and preservation of national cohesion, Above all migration is viewed by many as a threat to national sovereignty and national identity. As a result, the past two decades has witnessed fundamental changes in immigration policy, and sharp upsurge of xenophobic parties and movements around the world, most notably in Western Europe. At present immigration is amongst one of the most hotly contested issues and around the world and also has become a priority issue in Europe. This is a function of both the end of the Cold War and trends towards increased globalisation witnessed in recent decades. This module will examine international migration within the context of the on-going processes of globalisation and uneven development.

 

Tentative Course Outline:

 

Unit 1: Introduction and overview

Unit 2: Globalisation and Recent Patterns of Migration

Unit 3: Theories of International Migration: Why do people move?

Unit 4: The Global Economy and Labour Migration in Post-War Europe: History and Development

Unit 5: International Refugee Protection and Forced Migration

Unit 6: The Changing Nature of Migration Politics in Europe:The Ethics and Politics of Close 

             Borders

Unit 7: Close Borders? Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration

Unit 8: The Politics of Immigration incorporation and Citizenship

Unit 9: Multiculturalism &The crisis of multiculturalism

Unit 10: Migration Transnationalism and Development 

Unit 11: The Politics of Resentment: Immigration and the Rise of Extreme Right/Populist Parties in                              

              Western Europe
Unit 12: Ethnic Minorities, Racialisation and  [New] Racism in Europe 
Unit 13: The Securitisation of Migration in Western Societies
Unit 14: The Emerging European Immigration Regime?

Learning Outcome

AIMS

This module introduces students to global trends in international migration and to give a good understanding of the central patterns, processes and issues in European migration and diaspora. The current “migration crisis” is examined through analysis of immigration's impact on the nation state and society, and the response by the state and supranational institution (EU) to this challenge in terms of border control policies and policies towards immigrants. Students will learn to assess the dynamics of international migration and integration in a comparative perspective, and to identify general and specific theories pertaining to these dynamics and stemming from various academic disciplines. Students will be asked to apply these theories to concrete case(s) from readings and/or their own case, and in doing so, putting theoretical notions to an empirical test.

 

To this end, it will examine a range of contemporary issues such as migration processes, trends in policies towards asylum-seekers and refugees, control, integration policies, harmonisation and its effects, including trafficking and smuggling, multiculturalism, changing social attitude, securitisation, racism, and the response of political parties to migratory issues.

 

Geographically, the module will cover the entire world, but with emphasis on the situation in Europe

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

 Upon completion of the module, students should:

  • Have a critical understanding of key theoretical debates about international migration and refugee regime

 

  • Know the main patterns of migration and refugees in Europe, how they have evolved over time,  how they have affected the receiving countries, and policy responses to migration
  • Understand key terms and concepts which are often applied in current debates about migration – such as Integration, assimilation, multiculturalism, Citizenship,  transnationalism, and the migration-security nexus etc.;

 

  • Be able to demonstrate this detailed and critical knowledge and understanding in written and verbal form

 

REQUIRED CORE BOOKS

The  course  has  a  webpage  where  the  syllabus  is  posted Wwww.ku.dk - Login in KUnet  and then Absalon

TEACHING METHODS:

The course will meet weekly for a two-hour. The format of the course is primarily lectures and structured discussion
BA-level and MA-level (Engelsk)
BA-Undergraduates and MA- students can sign up for this course

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  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 28
  • Exam
  • 123,5
  • Preparation
  • 123,5
  • Total
  • 275,0
Credit
10 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
individual/group
Assesment: 7-point grading scale
see details concerning form of examination exam in the curriculum
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal examiners
Exam period
Submission dates and time will be available on the homepage of Sociology / education Site / Exam.
Criteria for exam assesment

Please see the learning objectives.

Credit
10 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination
Individual exam

Assesment: 7-point grading scale

see details concerning form of examination exam in the curriculum
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal examiners
Exam period
Submission dates and time will be available on the homepage of Sociology / education Site / Exam.
Criteria for exam assesment

Please see the learning objectives.