Global: Politics and Governance of Migration
Postgraduate course
- ECTS credits
- 5
- Teaching semesters Spring
- Course code
- GOV360-2
- Number of semesters
- 1
- Teaching language
- English
- Resources
- Schedule
Course description
Objectives and Content
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.
Learning Outcomes
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
ECTS Credits
Level of Study
Semester of Instruction
Required Previous Knowledge
Recommended Previous Knowledge
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap
Access to the Course
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.
Teaching and learning methods
Compulsory Assignments and Attendance
The compulsory assignment includes one research brief (2-3 pages) 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.
Forms of Assessment
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.
Grading Scale
Assessment Semester
Assessment in teaching semester.
A retake exam is arranged for students with valid absence according to UiBs study regulations § 5-5.If there is a retake exam for students valid absence, students with the following results/absences can register for the exam:
- Interruption during the exam
- Fail/failed
Students can register themselves in Studentweb after August 1.