MIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP

The course on "Migrations and citizenship" covers one of the key areas in the LM program “Relazioni internazionali comparate” (Global studies and EU studies curriculums), offering an international perspective on the role of states and other organisations in shaping people's mobility and their citizenship rights.

At the end of the course, students will be able to:
1) illustrate the main theoretical approaches to human mobilities in relation to global transformations, including climate change
2) identify the fundamental terminology and concepts used in migration studies and use the terms correctly in context
3) describe main issues from the history of international migrations, and their economic, social and political implications, in key geographical areas
4) critically analyse current academic and policy debates on migrations, and their relationship with the external social and natural environments in which they take place.
5) capacity to select and elaborate on relevant sources (secondary literature and empirical data) in order to provide a sounded and clear discussion of the course topics
6) effectively analyse and present in English (in writing and speaking) original research results, expanding on the core issues addressed by the course

Language skills, according to the admission requirements

The course will explore the main trends in contemporary international migrations and their interconnection with wider global transformations. In so doing, it provides an overview of key notions in migration studies concerning the motivations, patterns and outcomes of people’s mobility in different geographical settings (e.g. Europe, US, Latin America and the Pacific Rim). The distinction between ‘humanitarian’ and ‘economic’ motivations for migrating will be thoroughly discussed. In this discussion, the case of mobility - directly or indirectly - motivated by the effects of climate change is paradigmatic. At the same time, we are going to consider how human mobility also affects the social and natural environments in which it takes place. Thus, we are also looking at the way international organizations (e.g. OIM, UN, ILO, GFMD) are intervening in this realm at the policy level.

Compulsory readings for the oral exam:
1. Džankić, J., Vink, M. (2022). Citizenship & Migration. In: Scholten, P. (eds) Introduction to Migration Studies. IMISCOE Research Series. Springer, Cham.
2. Ionesco, Dina, et al. (2016) Current migration and environmental migration, in The atlas of environmental migration. Taylor & Francis, pp. 2-31.
3. Kofman, E., Raghuram, P. (2022). Gender and Migration. In: Scholten, P. (eds) Introduction to Migration Studies. IMISCOE Research Series. Springer, Cham.
4. Marchetti, Sabrina (2023) The Gender-Migration Nexus: Debates and Main Issues, in A. Triandafyllidou (ed.) Handbook of Migration and Globalisation, Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham
5. Massey, Douglas S. et al. (1993) Theories of international migration: A review and appraisal, Population and development review, vol. 19(3) (only pp. 431-448)
6. McKeown, Adam (2004) Global migration: 1846-1940, Journal of World History (only pp. 155-167)
7. Mezzadra, S., & Neilson, B. (2012). Between Inclusion and Exclusion: On the Topology of Global Space and Borders. Theory, Culture & Society, 29(4-5), 58-75.
8. Morris, J. (2024). Making markets: the historical development of the refugee regime. In Research Handbook on Asylum and Refugee Policy (pp. 7-24
9. O' Really, Karen (2016) Migration theories, in A. Triandafyllidou (ed.) Routledge Handbook of Immigration and Refugee Studies, Routledge, London-New York
10. Oleg Korneev, Oleg (2023) The Globalized Civil Society in Migration Governance, in A. Triandafyllidou (ed.) Handbook of Migration and Globalisation, Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham
11. Ong, Aihwa (2006) "Mutations in citizenship." Theory, culture & society vol. 23(2-3), pp. 499-505.
12. Pécoud, A., & Thiollet, H. (2023). Introduction: The institutions of global migration governance. In Research handbook on the institutions of global migration governance (pp. 1-17). Edward Elgar Publishing.
13. Talleraas, C., Brekke, JP., Buhr, F. (2022). Humanitarian Migration. In: Scholten, P. (eds) Introduction to Migration Studies. IMISCOE Research Series. Springer, Cham.
14. Thornton, Fanny (2023) Climate Change and Migration, in A. Triandafyllidou (ed.) Handbook of Migration and Globalisation, Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham.
15. Triandafyllidou, Anna (2023) Migration and Globalization: Dynamics and Contradictions, in A. Triandafyllidou (ed.) Handbook of Migration and Globalisation, Edward Elgar Publishing (only until p. 22)
16. Yuval-Davis, Nira, et al. (2018) Everyday bordering, belonging and the reorientation of British immigration legislation, Sociology, vol. 52(2), pp. 228-244.

The final evaluation will be based on the following elements:

1) Compulsory: a short paper to be submitted (via moodle) one week before the exam. In order to do so, students have to submit a half-page ABSTRACT at least 6 weeks before the exam. The paper has to be of 12-15 pages lenght, Times New Roman size 11, spacing 1.5. The list of references (which does not count in the page-limit) has to be at the end of the paper and follow the MLA style.
Concerning the topic of your paper: it has to relate to one of the phenomena we discussed in class (including guest speakers' classes) and expand it through the analysis of a specific case study. As case study you can take, for instance: 1) the specific conditions and experiences of a migrants' group; 2) the stories told by one or more novelists or video-makers about migrant protagonists; 3) events and stories taking place in a specific city or geographical areas, etc. Please do not include cases based on your personal/family experience or on interviews because ethnographic research on migrations falls outside the scope of this course. Also, please remember that you are writing a research essay and not a policy brief or a report. This means that the selected case-study needs to be interpreted as embedded in one of the general theories and phenomena we discussed in class, showing that you master the state of the art literature on these topics and you can relate to the main research questions in this field. For this reason, the main tool to analyze your case-study will be the (Compulsory and Suggested) readings available on the Moodle. You need to show how you used them in your analysis, by quoting them in the appropriate ways.

2) Compulsory: a oral exam which consists of a discussion starting from the written paper, and later expanding to cover other aspects of the course program, with particular with reference to the Compulsory readings, in order to have a full assessment of the knowledge and abilities they have learned through the course.

3) Optional: students can present a preliminary version of their paper during the classes held in the month of January. Together with feedback from professor and colleagues they will also earn 1 or 2 points as bonus for the final grade (depending on the level). For this occasion they will have to prepare a short summary of the paper on a ppt/Canvas presentation. During the previous weeks of class it will be possible to sign-up for the calendar of presentations.

For the academic year 2026/27, as an alternative to the paper, students can (1) attend the Masterclass with Prof. Handapangoda and prepare the correponding assignement, or (2) prepare a reflection essay based on the visit to the on-going Exhibitions on migration at EMERGENCY Giudecca. You can find more info on the moodle about both these options.

PLEASE CHECK UPDATED INFORMATION ABOUT DEADLINES, COMPULSORY TEMPLATES (FOR ABSTRACTS AND PAPERS) AND RESOURCES ON THE MOODLE

written and oral

The instructor is responsible for ensuring the authenticity and originality of all examinations and coursework. In cases of suspected academic misconduct, an additional on-site assessment may be required during the exams, which may differ from the standard format.

"Regarding the grading scale for the exam:

A. Scores in the range of 18-22 will be assigned for:

- Sufficient knowledge of the textbooks and related topics

- Limited ability to use data and form independent judgments

- Sufficient communication skills.

B. Scores in the range of 23-26 will be assigned for:

- Fair knowledge of the textbooks and related topics

- Fair ability to use data and form independent judgments

- Fair communication skills.

C. Scores in the range of 27-30 will be assigned for:

- Good or excellent knowledge of the textbooks and related topics

- Good or excellent ability to use data and form independent judgments

- Fully appropriate communication skills.

D. The “laude” will be awarded to students with excellent knowledge and comprehension of the textbooks and related topics."

The course consists of lectures and seminars in which the main concepts will be introduced and applied to relevant phenomena, also by means of visual material (ppt presentation, videos, pictures).
All materials will be made available by the teacher in the moodle page of the course.
Students are invited to contribute with critical questions and comments to the classroom discussion.