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Malmö universitet

Course syllabus

Spring 2016

Course syllabus, Spring 2016

Title

Refugees and Asylum Law

Swedish title

Refugees and Asylum Law

Course code

IM142L

Credits

15 credits

Grading scale

UA / Excellent (A), Very Good (B), Good (C), Satisfactory (D), Pass (E) or Fail (U)

Language of instruction

English

Decision-making body

Faculty of Culture and Society

Syllabus valid from

2016-01-18

Syllabus approval date

2015-11-18

Level

Basic level

Entry requirements

Thirty credits within the field of social sciences.

Main field

No main field.

Progression level

G1F / First cycle, has less than 60 credits in first-cycle course/s as entry requirements

Progression level in relation to degree requirements

The course is not part of a main field of study.

Course objectives

This course will provide the foundations necessary for students to develop a critical understanding of the study of refugees and asylum seekers.

Course contents

The course gives a broad overview of refugee studies and contemporary challenges within the field. This course covers the central concepts relating to the study of refugees and asylum, the state of the world’s refugees and displaced persons, the role of governmental and intergovernmental institutions in national and international refugee work, the relation between international, EU and national asylum law from a historical and a contemporary perspective. The course combines legal, theoretical and policy approaches.This course therefore covers the central concepts relating to the study of refugees and asylum, the state of the world’s refugees and displaced persons, the role of governmental and intergovernmental institutions in national and international refugee work, the relation between international, EU and national asylum law from a historical and a contemporary perspective. The course combines legal, theoretical and policy approaches.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course the student shall be able to demonstrate:
  • A critical understanding of the basic concepts, issues and theoretical debates which pertain to the study of refugees and asylum seekers, and an ability to apply this knowledge to analyse specific refugee situations.
  • A contextual knowledge of the historical background, content and function of the 1951 Refugee Convention, and an appreciation of the reach, limits and tension between international, EU and national asylum laws.
  • Familiarity with the role of governmental, intergovernmental and international institutions in refugee work, as well as an understanding of the reasons and impact that inclusion of the protection of internally displaced persons (by typically refugee relief organizations) has had on the refugee and asylum field.
  • A critical appreciation of the experiences of displacement and exile in different situations, and an ability to use such knowledge and practical examples from Europe and other parts of the world, in the analysis of specific refugee situations.
  • Knowledge of the current state of durable solutions offered by the international refugee regime and the relation of these dynamics to other political developments such as conflict, intervention and peace processes.

Learning activities

Teaching is principally in the form of lectures and seminars. Independent reading and research is expected throughout the course.

Assessment

The student’s performance is appraised by means of:
  1. One group task (5 credits) assessed as pass or fail
  2. One take home exam (10 credits), which will be graded A-U.
The examinations test the student’s knowledge, understanding and ability to critically analyse refugee and asylum issues covered in the course, as well as skills relating to the application of core concepts.
Retake
Students who do not pass the regular course exam have a minimum of two re-take opportunities. The re-take exam follows the same form as the original exam. The re-take of group work takes the form of individual written and/or oral assignments.

Course literature and other study material

  • Gibney, Matthew (2004) The Ethics and Politics of Asylum: Liberal Democracy and the Response to Refugees, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
  • Webber, Frances (2012) Borderline Justice: The Fight for Refugee and Migrant Rights, Pluto Press, London.
  • Whittaker, David (2006) Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the Contemporary World, Routledge, London
+ Compendium

Course evaluation

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 University. The University will compile and summarize the results of course evaluations 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).

Interim rules

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.

Additional information

The Language of instruction is English.