93244 - Anthropology of Migration

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will know the theoretical paradigms related to anthropology of migration and the ethnographic methods of investigation of this phenomenon

Course contents

The course aims at providing students with an introduction to the main anthropological paradigms in the study of migration and multicultural societies. After a brief introduction to cultural anthropology, we will investigate its main theoretical and methodological characteristics by focusing on the transformation of some concepts such as culture, religion, ethnicity, nation and citizenship. Furthermore, we will explore some specific case studies to facilitate the understanding of some methodological strategy characterizing the ethnographic approach to migration. We will discuss empirical research work on various topics such as diaspora, transnationalism, multi-sited fieldwork, co-development, racism, refugees, the "second generation", reception and inclusion policies.

Readings/Bibliography

Most of the reading material will be available on the platform virtuale, but here are some useful readings to follow part of the course:

- Suggested reading for the students who never studied cultural and social Anthropology: Eriksen Thomas Hyland (2017) What is Anthropology? Pluto

Readings for the course:

1) Baumann Gerd (1999) The Multicultural Riddle Routledge

2) Brettell, Caroline (2015) Theorizing migration in anthropology: The social construction of networks, identities, communities, and globalscapes, in Brettell & Hollifield (eds.) Migration theory:Talking across disciplines, Routledge. London

Vertovec, Steven (2011) 'The cultural politics of nation and migration', Annual Review of Anthropology, 40

3) Riccio, Bruno (2008) ‘West African Transnationalisms Compared: Ghanaians and Senegalese in Italy’ Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 34, 2

- (2010; edited with Brambilla C.) Transnational Migration, Cosmopolitanism and Dis-Located Borders, Rimini: Guaraldi

- (2016) Introduction to From Internal to Transnational Mobilities, Bologna: Emil di Odoya

- (2016) ‘Political Spaces. The ambivalent experiences of Italian second-generation associations’ in Nibbs, F., Brettell, C. (eds.) Identity and the Second Generation. How Children of Immigrants Find Their Space, Vanderbilt University Press, Nashville

- (2017; with degli Uberti S.) 'Imagining greener pastures? Shifting perceptions of Europe and mobility in Senegalese society. A diachronic approach', Etnografia e Ricerca Qualitativa, 3

4) Zinn, Dorothy (2018) Migrants as Metaphor. Institutions and Integration in South Tyrol's Divided Society, Roma: CISU

Teaching methods

Lectures, vision of etnographic material and discussion in groups, workshops with presentations and discussion

Assessment methods

Oral presentation and a written essay to be submitted and discussed at the beginning of the second semester. Both tasks aim at assessing the understanding and assimilation of the main concepts discussed during the course and within the texts of the program.

Teaching tools

Some reading and working material will be available on the platform Virtuale

Office hours

See the website of Bruno Riccio