Københavns Universitet - Kurser

HMGK03021U AMIS: Identity and Culture

Volume 2018/2019

Advanced Migration Studies

This course focus on the significance of language, culture and religion for the social interaction in societies characterized by diversity, especially regarding the formation of identity in migrant – majority relations. We will engage with a range of crucial concepts like ‘ethnicity’, ‘culture’, ‘nationality’, ‘boundaries’ and ‘hybridity’, and reflect on their importance for analyzing and understanding what it is like to migrate. Through ethnological, anthropological and sociological perspectives and through readings of migrant literature and other artistic expressions we will seek to gain insights into the migrant experience. Through a range of case analysis, we will use this to discuss different theoretical perspectives on identification and counter-identification, identity politics and politics of difference.

Learning Outcome

Among other objectives, the course will provide:

Knowledge about the importance of language, culture, and religion for social interaction in migration contexts.
Knowledge about different forms of identity politics within frameworks of nationalism, liberalism, multi-culturalism and active citizenship.
Understanding of multi-cultural conditions of identity formation, and the importance migrant – majority relations for identification.
Skills in undertaking inter-disciplinary case analysis, employing various analytical techniques.
Competences in assessing and discussing the various ways cultural expressions like literature and art contributes to national and diasporic identity formation.

Literature

There will be assigned appropriate books and produced a reader for the course before semester start.

Teaching and learning methods

Seminars requiring active participation in discussions, mandatory student presentations, and group assignments.

Workload