Global: Politics and Governance of Migration

Masteremne

Emnebeskrivelse

Mål og innhald

Migration and its governance are one of the most fiercely debated phenomena of our times. Contestation is not just observable in the field we as scholars study (including asylum reception, labour migration programs, or different concepts of citizenship); scholarly work on the politics and governance of migration itself remains deeply contested: To what extent do nation-state centric analyses - often with a focus on the Global North of so-called "receiving" states - reproduce existing global power relations and inequalities? How have orthodox perspectives shaped our concepts of migration governance and potentially biased the analytical frameworks scholars use for their research? What blind spots do dominant analyses of migration politics and governance produce and how can these be overcome? Which theoretical and analytical tools do we have at our disposal for critically reframing theories and concepts of migration governance? 

This elective course tackles these questions through deep reading and individual as well as joint discussion of selected chapters from the Handbook on the Governance and Politics of Migration (2021). We approach discussion of the readings in a dialogue-oriented seminar structure, based on students' regular preparation of a short research brief (which summarizes three key readings per session before class) and with rotating responsibility for moderating the discussion. Willingness to prepare the session readings in-depth is thus essential for successful participation in this course.

Læringsutbyte

A student who has completed the course should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student knows

  • major debates on migration as a global challenge
  • key lines of conceptual-analytical contestation about how to study the governance and politics of migration
  • key empirical insights on the variable governance and politics of migration from across the Globe.

Skills

The student can

  • evaluate, synthesize, and critically appraise existing social science research on the governance and politics of migration
  • develop and apply their own conceptual-analytical approach to the politics and governance of migration as a global challenge
  • identify and analyse relevant empirical cases of migration governance independently and in a nuanced manner.

General competence

The student can

  • identify and present complex phenomena in the field of global migration governance in a nuanced and critical manner
  • develop, present, discuss and defend own arguments about scholarly readings and empirical phenomena in dialogue with peers
  • structure and moderate group discussions in an inclusive manner

Studiepoeng, omfang

5 ECTS

Studienivå (studiesyklus)

Master

Undervisningssemester

Spring, irregular (not taught every year)
Krav til forkunnskapar
Students must have completed a bachelor's degree in political science or equivalent (subject to approval by the administration of the Department of Government), or a bachelor´s degree in social sciences, psychology or law.
Tilrådde forkunnskapar
A background in social science theory and methods recommended.
Studiepoengsreduksjon
None
Krav til studierett

The course is open to students enrolled in master's programmes at the Department of Government.

Exchange students at master's level and students from other master's programmes at the University of Bergen with relevant backgrounds may be admitted upon application, subject to approval by the administration of the Department of Government.

Applications may be rejected due to capacity. The course gives priority to students accepted to the master's programmes at the Department of Government.

The maximum number of students is 15.

Arbeids- og undervisningsformer
Approximately 6 sessions (including one introduction and one concluding session and four sessions on different thematic blocs), organised as student-led discussions of key readings.  
Obligatorisk undervisningsaktivitet

The compulsory assignment includes two research briefs (2-3 pages each) delivered before the respective session based on the assigned readings and some guiding questions to be shared by the teacher. In addition, each student must take co-leadership for moderating one seminar discussion.

Attendance of 4-6 sessions is compulsory.

The compulsory assignment must be approved in order to take the exam. Approved compulsory assignments are valid in the current and following two semesters.

Vurderingsformer

Research essay of 2500 words (+/- 10%, excluding the title page, table of contents, references, tables, and all attachments) on the politics and governance of migration. The teacher will share guiding questions for the task.

The exam will be given in the language in which the course is taught. 

The exam answer can be submitted in English.

Karakterskala
Graded A-F
Vurderingssemester

Assessment in teaching semester.

A retake exam is arranged for students with valid absence according to § 5-5 in the UiB regulations.

If there is a retake exam, this will be available for students with the follow results/absences:

  • Medical certificate/valid absence
  • Interruption during the exam
  • Fail/failed

If you have the right to take a retake exam and a retake exam is arranged for students with valid absences, you can sign up yourself in Studentweb after 1. August.

Litteraturliste
The reading list will be ready before 1 July for the autumn semester and 1 December for the spring semester.
Emneevaluering
All courses are evaluated according to UiB's system for quality assurance of education.
Programansvarleg
The Programme Committee is responsible for the content, structure and quality of the study programme and courses. 
Administrativt ansvarleg
Department of Government at the Faculty of Social Sciences has the administrative responsibility for the course and the study programme.