87563 - Politics Of International Migration

Learning outcomes

The aim of this Course is to provide students with analytical skills to assess, research and critically debate the political dimensions of international migrations. At the end of the Course the student is expected to know the layers of governance of the issue at the regional and global level; to acknowledge the main challenges key actors identify with respect to the phenomenon and to be aware of the main resistances to the creation of an effective and efficient governance of the phenomenon.

Course contents

The course is organized in lectures and seminars. Lectures (16 hours) aim to introduce students to the core tenets of the discipline. Seminars (12 hours) aim to provide occasions for in-depth discussions on topics of key relevance through class-works, debates, exercises and presentations. For the seminar section of the course, students will be divided in two groups. Students are required to carefully read the assigned material before the session and - especially in the case of seminars - active participation is strongly recommended.

The programme is quite dense and requires full dedications by enrolled Students. Students are expected to read the material in the Syllabus ahead of classes, following Professor’s instruction. No specific schedule is provided as Classes may vary according to need.

Readings/Bibliography

MIGRATION: CONCEPTS AND THEORIES

Topic 1. Migration, a global phenomenon

De Haas, H., Castles, S. and Miller, M. (2020), ‘Introduction’ and ‘Categories of Migration’, in The Age of Migration, 6th Edition, pp. 1-14; 19-20; 21-41.

Zolberg, A. (2006), ‘Managing a World on the Move’, Population and Development Review, 32, pp. 222-253.

MPI, International Migration Statistics, available here: https://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/data-hub/international-migration-statistics

Topic 2. Actors and layers of governance

Betts, A. and Kainz, L. (2020), ‘Power and proliferation: Explaining the fragmentation of global migration governance’, Migration Studies, pp. 1-25.

Betts, A. and Milner, J. (2019), ‘Governance of the Global Refugee Regime’, World Refugee Council Research Paper 13, May 2019.

Fine, S. and Pécoud, A. (2018), ‘International Organizations and the multi-level governance of migration’, in A. Triandafyllidou (ed), Handbook of Migration and Globalization, Edward Elgar Publishing, Ch. 3.

Topic 3. Migration and International Relations

Hollifield, J. F. (2004), ‘The Emerging Migration State’, The International Migration Review, 38, 3, pp. 885-912.

Adamson, F. and Tsourapas, G. (2019), ‘The Migration State in the Global South: Nationalising, Developmental and Neoliberal Models of Migration Management’, International Migration Review, 54, 3, pp. 853-852.

Hollifield, J. F. (2012), ‘Migration and International Relations’, in Rosenblum Marc R. and Tichenor Daniel J. (eds), Oxford Handbook of the Politics of International Migration, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Betts, A. and Loescher, G. (2011), ‘Refugees in International Relations’, in Betts, A. and Loescher, G., (eds), Refugees in International Relations, Oxford, Oxford University Press, Introduction.

Topic 4. Migration, foreign policy and migration diplomacy

Teitelbaum, M. (1984), Immigration, refugees, and foreign policy, International Organization, 38(3), 429-450.

Tsourapas, G. (2017), ‘Migration Diplomacy in the Global South: cooperation, coercion and issue linkage in Gaddafi’s Libya’, Third World Quarterly 38, 10, 2367-2385.

Greenhill, K. M. (2016), ‘Migration as a Weapon in Theory and Practice’, Military Review. November-December 2016 and ‘Introduction’, in Weapons of mass migration. Forced displacement, coercion, and foreign policy, Cornell University Press, Ithaca and London.

MIGRATION and the EU

Topic 5. Migration, an old phenomenon in the EU. From the past to recent developments

Laschi, G. (2021), ‘Movement but with limitations’, in Laschi, G., Deplano, V., and Pes, A. (eds), Europe between migrations, decolonization and integration (1945-1992), 15-27.

De Haas et al, (2020), ‘Migration in Europe since 1945’, in The Age of Migration, 6th Edition, pp.117-144

Uçarer, E. M. (2013), ‘The Area of Freedom, Security and Justice’, in M. Cini et al. (2013), European Union Politics, Oxford University Press, pp. 281-296.

Topic 6. Migration/asylum policies in the EU

Merler, S. (2017), ‘The economic effects of migration’, Bruegel, 16 January 2017.

Guiraudon, V. (2020), ’20 Years after Tampere’s Agenda on “Illegal Migration”: Policy Continuity in Spite of Unintended Consequences’, in Carrera, S., Curtin, D. and Geddes, A. (eds), 20 Years Anniversary of the Tampere Programme, EUI.

Sanchez, G. (2020), ‘Who is a Smuggler’, in Carrera, S., Curtin, D. and Geddes, A. (eds), 20 Years Anniversary of the Tampere Programme, EUI.

Topic 7. The ‘migration crisis’ (2015): disputing Schengen

Bauböck, R. (2018), ‘’Refugee Protection and Burden Sharing in the European Union’, Journal of Common Market Studies, 56, 1, 141-156.

Ceccorulli, M., (2019) Back to Schengen: the collective securitisation of the EU free-border area, West European Politics, 42, 2, 302-322, available online

Topic 8. The external dimension of migration and asylum

Boswell, C. (2003), ‘The “external dimension” of EU immigration and asylum policy’, International Affairs, 79, 3, pp. 619-638.

Collyer, M. (2020), ‘Years of “Partnership with Countries of Origin and Transit”, in Carrera, S., Curtin, D. and Geddes, A. (eds), 20 Years Anniversary of the Tampere Programme, EUI.

Feith Tan, N. (2021), ‘Conceptualizing Externalisation: still fit for the purpose? Forced Migration Review, 68

SEMINARS

(N.B. Readings are intended as preparatory materials for activities to be played in class)

- Migration and Security

What is security and how does migration turn into a security issue? The seminar explores securitization dynamics and dives into speeches and practices as performative acts.

Browning, C.S. (2017), ‘Security and migration: a conceptual exploration’, in Bourbeau, P. (ed), Migration and Security, Cheltenham; Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 39-59.

Class activity

- Migration and borders

What are borders? What are bordering practices? This seminar questions the type and the nature of bordering and boundaries in and by the EU

Parker, N. and Vaughan-Williams, N. (2012) Critical Border Studies: Broadening and Deepening the ‘Lines in the Sand' Agenda, Geopolitics, 17, 4, pp. 727-733.

Grappi, G. and Lucarelli, S. (2021), ‘Bordering power Europe? The mobility-bordering nexus in and by the EU, Journal of Contemporary European Studies, online first.

Aradau, C. et al. (2021), ‘Data and new Technologies, the hidden face of mobility control’, Brief Migreurop 12.

Class activities

- Migration and recent crises

Professor’s material on recent crises at the EU's border. Class activity

- Asylum and climate change

The debate considers possible extensions of the term opposing different views with a focus on climate change and the revision of established practices vis-à-vis muted circumstances

Schutte, S. et al. (2021), ‘Climatic conditions are weak predictors of asylum migration’, Nature Communications, 12.

Class activity

- A crisis in the EU: in – class simulation

- The ethics of migration

The discussion explores multiple ethical dimensions of migration and asylum starting from the baseline open/closed borders debate, inviting to move beyond simplistic arguments

Bauböck, R., Mourão Permoser, J. Ruhs, M. ‘The ethics of migration policy dilemmas’, Migration Studies, Volume 10, Issue 3, September 2022, pp. 427–441 (available online)

Class activity

Teaching methods

Lectures; Class - debates; Seminars; Class-activities; presentations.

Assessment methods

The Course is part of the IPM/IPE Programme. Be sure to consult instructions on attendance. 'Non-attending student' modality is not offered for this Course.

1). Participation - for this Course, students' active engagement is strongly recommended and will be part of the grading system according to the modality explained during classes.

2). Essay - the student is expected to submit an essay of around 3000 words (bibliography excluded) by the last week of Classes. Suggestions on structure and style are provided by the Professor as well as instructions for submission. Topic should be accorded with Professor. Students are expected to submit a well-structured, consistent and well-argued work, detailing the reserach question and the methodology employed. The project is expected to include a comprehensive and solid bibliography.

3). Final oral exam - readings proposed for the 'frontal' part are to be fully and thoroughly studied. Professor could also ask to discuss about arguments debated during the seminarial part.

More details on the grading system will be provided in Class.

Teaching tools

Powerpoints, articles, simulations, video projection

Office hours

See the website of Michela Ceccorulli