Obligatory course within the framework of both the One-year and the Two-year Master’s Programme in International Migration and Ethnic Relations (IMER).
The module comprises two sub-modules:
- Migration, Economics and Politics (7,5 credits).
- The Individual, Identity and Society (7,5 credits).
The first sub-module, Migration, Economics and Politics, deals with the themes of migration, integration into the labour market and refugee policy. Emphasis is placed partly on the multidisciplinary aspects of migration, including theories of integration, and partly on specialisation in a variety of topics within the scope of the themes previously mentioned. Discussion is based on the prevailing relationship between migration and development at a global level. Another issue addressed is that of the mobility or otherwise of the world’s population.
The second sub-module deals with a variety of issues arising within the compass of the local and the global community, whereby emphasis is given to the meeting of cultures and the construction of identity and ethnicity. Viewed as a whole, this sub-module provides specialised knowledge of the construction of collective identity seen in relation both to population movements and to processes of individualisation in society. At the same time, issues relating to religion and gender are also thoroughly investigated.
Knowledge and understanding
After finishing the course, the student:
- can, by focusing on the field of study encompassed by IMER, show knowledge relating to social processes, and specialised knowledge and understanding of the causes of international migration, as well as of the effects of migration in the form of refugee status and resultant issues of integration and segregation;
- can show specialised knowledge of different forms of group identification and of how this process is affected by notions of religion, culture, language and ethnicity, all of which have a bearing on mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion within society;
- can show specialised understanding of processes of ethnic and social identity occurring at both an overall level and a micro-level within society;
- can show in-depth knowledge of key issues in the field of study encompassed by IMER, as well as knowledge of current research and development work within this same field and
- can show knowledge of Malmö University’s perspectives: environment, gender, and migration and ethnicity.
Applying knowledge and understanding
After finishing the course, the student:
- can show a well-developed ability to analyse and evaluate information on a scientific basis and can show the same ability in conveying, both orally and in writing, the results of his or her own work, or of the work of others, in dialogue with different interested parties;
- can show the requisite skills for participating in research and development work, or in other activities where special aptitude is needed and
- can apply knowledge of Malmö University’s perspectives to issues pertaining to the social sciences.
Making judgments and communication skills
After finishing the course, the student:
- can show an in-depth ability to view issues from a multidisciplinary perspective, and therewith to embrace a scientific and critical approach to their work and
- can show an in-depth ability to identify and analyse issues and problems connected with matters of ethnicity and migration within society, as well as with relations between majority and minority populations, or between various minority groups.
Learning activities comprise lectures, group work and group exercises, seminar assignments, and independent revision of the course literature in the light of specific questions for study. Students also have access to the university’s computer rooms and library.
Evaluation is by means of a test to be completed at home and other written assignments to be handed in.
Re-sit examinations
Students who do not pass the regular course exams have the minimum of two re-sit opportunities. Re-sits follow the same form as the original exams, apart from re-sits for group work, which take the form of individual written and oral assignments.
Migration, Economics and Politics
Literature
Hyndman, Jennifer (2000) Managing Displacement: Refugees and the Politics of Humanitarianism, Minnesota: University Press.
Brettel, Ed & James Hollifield (2007) Migration Theory: Talking Across disciplines. New York & London: Routledge. (New 2nd Edition)
Massey, Douglas S. and others (2005) Worlds in Motion. Understanding international migration at the end of the millennium.
Clarendon Press, Oxford (Paperback edition)
May, Tim (2001) Social Research Issues, Methods and Process. Buckingham: Open University Press
Other Sources
Borjas, G. (1994) “The Economics of Immigration” in Journal of Economic Literature, Vol.
XXX11, pp 1667–1717. (available electronically via JStor)
Ekberg, J. (1999) “Immigration and the public sector: Income effects for the native population in Sweden” in Journal of Population Economics (1999) 12 , pp 411–430. (electronically available via ELIN)
Portes, Alejandro and Julia Sensenbrenner (1993) ”Embeddedness and Immigration: Notes on the Social Determinants of Economic Action.” The American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 98, No. 6, pp. 1320-1350. (electronically available via JStor)
Well Founded Fear: http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov1999/wellfoundedfear/home.html [2004-12-06].
Reference Literature
Research on Refugees in Urban Settings: Methods and Ethics, Workshop Report from Forced Migration and Refugee Studies Program, The American University in Cairo, April 2003 available [online] URL: http://www.aucegypt.edu/academic/fmrs, 2004-01-15.
The Individual, Society and Identity
Literature
Baumann, Gerd (1999) The Multicultural Riddle. Rethinking National, Ethnic, and Religious Identites. London: Routledge.
Clark, Eric & Bo Pettersson, (2003) Identity, Dynamics and the Construction of Boundaries: Intl. Specialized Books Inc.
Giddens, Anthony (1991) Modernity and self-identity. Self and society in late modern age. Cambridge: Polity Press
May, Tim (2001) Social Research: Issues, Methods and Process. Buckingham: Open University Press
Additional material in the form of theses will also be introduced (minimum 200 pages) as set out in the instructions at the beginning of the course.
Other Sources
The Politics of Sex and Gender: Benhabib and Butler Debate Subjectivity
[From MUSE]
Fiona Webster Hypatia 15.1 (2000) 1-22
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/hypatia/v015/15.1webster.pdf
Punday, Daniel Foucault's Body Tropes New Literary history, 2000, 31:509-528
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/new_literary_history/v031/31.3punday.pdf (MUSE)
Reference Literature
Bodies (and Spaces) do Matter: The Limits of Performativity.
Nelson, Lise (1999) in Gender, Place and Culture, vol. 6, no. 4, pp.
331–353. [From EBSCO]
http://search.epnet.com/direct.asp?an=2624842&db=afh
Sexual difference and collective identities: The new global constellation.
Benhabib, Seyla Signs: Journal of Women in Culture & Society; Winter99,
Vol. 24 Issue 2, p335, 27p [From EBSCO]
http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url,uid&db
Gender and Ethnic Conflict in Ex-Yugoslavia.
Jones, Adam Ethnic & Racial Studies; Jan. 94, Vol. 17 Issue 1, p115, 20p
http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url,uid&db
Skeldon, Ronald (1997) Migration and Development: A global Perspective. Harlow, Longman. Chapters 1 and 2. (pp. 17-60)
All students are offered an opportunity to give oral and written feedback at the end of the course. A summary of the results will be made available on the school’s web-pages. The students are also given a possibility to offer feedback for each module.
Student participation takes place through the course council.