General eligibility for university studies and English 6 + 30 credits within Social Science

This course develops knowledge and understanding of central issues in international migration and ethnic relations (IMER). It draws on ongoing research at the department and the expertise of the teaching researchers. The aim is both to develop an understanding of state of the art knowledge in the field and to examine how such knowledge is and can be produced. In so doing, the course consistently combines and integrates theoretical and methodological queries. No previous IMER courses are required, but rather a general acquaintance with key scientific criteria and academic literacy in the social sciences.

The course’s underlying pedagogical philosophy is that the generic intellectual skills of critical thinking and independent analysis are best developed in delimited thematic contexts, in which the connection between knowledge about (findings and theories) and knowledge how (methodology) are most visible and open for scrutiny. To this end, the course is focused on key problems and questions in contemporary IMER research, and benefits from the expertise and current research in the department. Apart from offering students in-depth knowledge on a selected set of subjects in the IMER field, it also develops a more profound and general understanding of what it means “to know” something and how such knowledge is produced in the social sciences.

The course is divided in two modules (15 + 15 credits), each of which consists of one general (7.5 credits) and one specific (7.5 credits) part. The first introduces the field, key concepts and theories, important findings and main controversies through a series of lectures and seminars with assigned readings. The second, specific part consists of individual work on a more specific topic within the wider area, in which students in dialogue with the teacher(s) select and review a particular research field. The reviewed material can be either secondary or primary. Teaching in the second part is organized as a series of supervision workshops where students and teacher(s) meet and discuss selection and assessment of their respective research fields.

The aim of the course is to offer first-hand, research-embedded knowledge by experts in the field, which means that the exact content every year will depend on the teaching researchers. The exact content of the course, including readings, is announced every Fall, at least two months before the course starts. Longer descriptions of the different content alternatives are outlined below.

Populism is often used in the public debate as an insult, a label you attach to someone you ultimately dislike and is short-time oriented in his approach to solve political issues. But is populism really the anti-thesis of democracy? Is populism an ideology, a style, a logic or a discourse? The first part of the course deals with the conceptual issues and how the concept can be used for empirical analysis. This section connects populism to societal processes and external events relevant for the reciprocal interaction between the political reproduction of national identities, the transformation of European welfare systems, and contemporary politics of migration. In the second part of the course feature case specific illustrations of the party-political environment, civil society mobilization, media representations and popular attitudes towards immigration, before and after the so-called refugee crisis. To instigate this further the course will dwell deeper into various empirical settings in Europe, but also beyond. The teaching techniques will employ a blend of lectures, regular seminar and role-play events. The course is examined in written form displaying the ability of applying the concept of populism analytically. The student will receive substantial feedback in written form.

According to George Simmel – sometimes described as the founding father of sociology – “[t]rust is one of the most important synthetic forces within society” (Simmel, 1950: 326). But what is trust? How does it develop and erode? And, how does it relate to migration and diversity?

The aim of this course is to explore the meaning and role of social trust in diverse, immigrant societies. The course starts with an overview and discussion of two clas-sical thinkers of sociology, Emile Durkheim and George Simmel. The concept of social trust is then traced forward and compared to contemporary research, with a special focus on international migration and ethnic relations. The course ends with a practical application and analysis of social trust, in which the students draw on data from the European Social Survey.

The course is examined through a combination of i) active participation in the seminars and ii) independent analysis of the survey data, which is presented orally and in writing.

Upon completion of the course the student shall be able to demonstrate:

The course is designed to facilitate students’ introduction and participation in the research fields in question. To this end, four types of learning activities are emphasized as spelled out below:

The course examines the student’s performance through a combination of obligatory seminar assignments and written assignments. The course examinations are constructively aligned with the overarching purpose and activities in the following ways. The obligatory seminars develop and examine the student’s ability to overview, summarize and critically assess published research findings on the subjects of the course. The written assignments examine the student’s acquired ability of independent and critical assessment of delimited subfields within the overall subjects of the course. In both seminars and papers, the connection between knowing about (findings and theories) and knowing how (methodology) is consistently examined. Additionally, the two forms of examination develop and examine the student’s ability to present arguments and analyses in an academically correct and stringent format, in writing as well as speech.

And, approximately 600-700 pages of journal articles and media material.

The University provides students who participate in or who have completed a course with the opportunity to make known their experiences and viewpoints with regards to the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the Uni-versity. The University will compile and summarize the results of course evalua-tions as well as informing participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures initiated in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).

If a course is no longer offered or has undergone major changes, students will be offered two re-take sessions based on the syllabus in force at registration during a period of one year from the date of the implementation of the changes.