B5274 - Sociology of Migration

Learning outcomes

The course aims to analyse the phenomenon of international migration in contemporary societies by identifying the general trends, the most frequent causes and the connections with other phenomena (globalisation processes, labour market evolution) and to examine the policies regulating immigration and those aimed at fostering the integration processes of immigrants in the receiving society. At the end of the course, students will be able to: a) examine and understand the dynamics of migration processes; b) critically analyse policies aimed at governing the migration phenomenon; c) evaluate the effects of immigrant policies.

Course contents

The course aims to analyse migration processes and explore the main sociological theories on migration. Students will be able to master an adequate vocabulary to talk about migration and identify the different types of migrants. The course will examine the historical evolution of the migration phenomenon and address issues related to migration governance. Attention will be paid to forced migration and the figure of the ‘refugee’. Finally, the course will focus on policies for immigrants paying attention to issues of social, economic and cultural inclusion especially in the Italian context.

At the end of the course, students will have acquired an in-depth ability to: a. analyse migration processes at a global level; b. decipher the evolution of the migration phenomenon; c. examine the migration policies implemented for the management of migratory flows; d. reconstruct the legal framework and good practices adopted in the Italian context to promote the integration of the immigrant population.

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students:

Ambrosini M. (2020). Sociologia delle migrazioni (terza edizione). Bologna: Il Mulino.

 

Non-attending students:

Ambrosini M. (2020). Sociologia delle migrazioni (terza edizione). Bologna: Il Mulino.

Two monographs among:

Ambrosini M. (2019). Famiglie nonostante. Come gli affetti sfidano i confini. Bologna: Il Mulino.

Bozzetti A. (2021). Oltre la selezione scolastica. I giovani di origine straniera all'università, Bologna, BUP.

Dalla Zuanna G., Farina P. e Strozza S. (2009). Nuovi italiani. I giovani immigrati cambieranno il nostro paese?. Bologna: Il Mulino.

Livi Bacci M. (2019). In cammino. Breve storia delle migrazioni. Bologna: Il Mulino.

Pacchi C. e Ranci C. (a cura di) (2017). White flight a Milano. La segregazione sociale ed etnica nelle scuole dell'obbligo, Milano, Franco Angeli.

Perrotta D. (2011). Vite in cantiere. Migrazione e lavoro dei rumeni in Italia, Bologna, Il Mulino.

Pugliese E. (2006). L'Italia tra migrazioni internazionali e migrazioni interne, Bologna, Il Mulino.

Strozza S., Conti C. e Tucci E. (2021). Nuovi cittadini. Diventare italiani nell'era della globalizzazione. Bologna: Il Mulino.

Teaching methods

The course is organized in lectures and seminars. Lectures (8 lessons, 16 hours) aim to introduce students to the core tenets of the discipline. Lessons will be given twice a week. For the seminar section of the course (6 seminars, 12 hours), students will be divided in two groups and will participate in one seminar per week. Therefore, students will be engaged in classroom activities for a total of 28 hours. Students are required to carefully read the assigned material before the session and - in the case of seminars - active participation through presentations of existing scholarship and case studies will also be expected.

Assessment methods

Attending students must participate in classes and all 6 seminars.

By 25 September 2025, attending students must register on the webpage http://https//forms.office.com/e/096Umgk34A.

Starting from the fifth lecture (September 30, 2024), attendance will be taken.

Attending students:

The exam consists in two parts.

The FIRST PART of the exam (which contributes 2/5 of the final grade) is based on the presentations and discussions of academic papers that will take place in the classroom during the course (papers are available on Virtuale).

The written test consists of three open-ended questions related to the topics included in the textbook, and students have to answer two out of three questions. Time to complete the exam: 45 minutes.

The SECOND PART of the exam (which contributes the remaining 3/5 to the determination of the final grade) may be taken in one of the exam session calls starting in January 2026. The second exam consists of developing a short essay (maximum 1000 words) from an outline that will be distributed on the day of the exam. The drafting of the short essay will take place in the classroom at the computer lab PC and may be done in open-book form. Specifically, once the outline has been read out, the student will have 20 minutes to consult the basic textbook and all the material discussed in the classroom and collected for the first part of the exam. After 20 minutes, the student will have 1 hour and 40 minutes to develop the outline.

Non-attending students:

The exam is written and consists of five open-ended questions: three questions are based on the core textbooks and two questions are related to the two monographs (one question per monograph). Time to complete the exam: 90 minutes.

For all students

Cheating and copying test's questions are forbidden. Any behaviour perceived as suspicious by the professor will lead to the annulment of the exam. Students responsible for misbehaviour will take the exam in an oral form.

The only valid mark is the one achieved in the most recent attempt to pass the exam.

Candidates who pass the exam can refuse the final mark (thus requesting to re-take the exam) only once, in accordance with the university’s teaching regulations.

After having rejected a passing mark, any other subsequent passing mark will be recorded definitively in candidates’ transcripts.

Final mark:

Minimum analytical skills → 18-19;

Good analytical skills → 20-24;

Very good analytical skills → 25-29;

Excellent analytical skills → 30-30 L

Students are personally responsible for their registration in the exam session on AlmaEsami. Registration closes 5 days before the exam. It is not possible to sign up for the exam after registration has terminated. Students who change their minds must withdraw their registration no later than the 5 days before the exam. Withdrawal from the exam permits the student to participate in the following exam session. Nonetheless, in case of withdrawal during the last 5 days before the exam, students must send (using their official account @studio.unibo.it) an e-mail to d.mantovani@unibo.it

Teaching tools

Papers and articles on Virtuale.

Office hours

See the website of Debora Mantovani