32535 - Anthropology of Migratory Processes

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will be socialised to the main anthropological paradigms in the study of mobility, migration and multicultural societies; he/she will know the theoretical and methodological challenges of cultural anthropology when applied to social policies towards migrants; she/he will be able to translate the anthropological reflections towards ethnicity, nation, religion and culture into a careful project elaboration within multicultural settings; he/she will be able to champion the anthropological (theoretical as much as methodological) perspective also in the evaluation of project for the socio-educational contexts. He/she will be better able to communicate her or his (often comparative) readings of contexts within her or his working groups; he/she will be able to refer to ethnographic approaches to enhance her or his ability of listening and interpreting communication in different working environments. Finally, he/she will be able to expand autonomously her or his analytical perspective in the exploration of the anthropologicl knowledge 

Course contents

The course aims at providing the students with an introduction of the anthropological contribution to the understanding of mobility and migration processes with the attempts to develop a critical reading in planning and managing of cultural mediation and educational intervention in multicultural settings. The first section will focus on the main theoretical and methodological issues of the anthropology of migration by focusing on the transformation of some key concepts such as culture, religion, ethnicity, nation and citizenship. Furthermore, we will facilitate the understanding of issues such as racism, transnationalism, borders/bundaries, frontiers, Otherness by taking into account some methodological strategies characterising the ethnographic approach to migration. To this end, we will discuss empirical research work and multi-sited fieldwork conducted between Italy and South East Europe, to then reinforce an understanding of some recent phenomena, such as transnational female migrations and increasing migratory movements along the so-called Balkan route.

The second part will be focused on the application of some methods and theory of anthropology to social work and educational intervention engaged in migrant inclusion, encouraging an intersectional approach to the understanding of reception policies and mediation processes within local services. By articulating case studies and reflexive exercise practices, the fraught combination of challenges and opportunities found in the everyday working of migrant reception services will be explored, as well as the risks of unequal access to social rights and public benefits among citizens, by especially focusing on the issues of body and health in a gender and generational perspectives. 

Readings/Bibliography

Recommended readings:

1. Capello, C., Cingolani P., Vietti, F. Etnografia delle migrazioni, Carocci, Roma, 2023
   
2. Riccio, B. (eds) Antropologia e migrazioni, CISU, Roma, 2014 (cap.1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 11, 12, 17)
3. Khosravi S. Io sono confine, Eleuthera, Milano, 2019.

Two among the following:

 

Sayad, A. La doppia assenza. Milano: Cortina, 2002.

Ong, A. Da rifugiati a cittadini. Pratiche di governo nella nuova America, Milano: Cortina, 2003

Riccio, B. "Toubab" e "vu cumprà". Transnazionalità e rappresentazioni nelle migrazioni senegalesi in Italia, Padova: CLEUP, 2007

Cingolani, Romeni d'Italia. Migrazioni, vita quotidiana e legami transnazionali, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2009.

Guerzoni, G., Riccio, B. (a cura di) Giovani in cerca di cittadinanza. I figli dell'immigrazione tra scuola e associazionismo, Rimini: Guaraldi, 2009

Pazzagli I., Tarabusi, F. Un doppio sguardo. Etnografia delle interazioni tra servizi e adolescenti di origine straniera, Rimini: Guaraldi, 2009.

Quaranta I., Ricca M., Malati fuori luogo, R. Cortina, Milano, 2012

Vietti, F. Hotel Albania, Roma: Carocci, 2012.

Altin, R. et al. (a cura di) Richiedenti asilo e sapere antropologico, Antropologia Pubblica, 3, 1, 2017 (disponibile online)

Riccio, B., Tarabusi, F. (a cura di) Dilemmi, mediazioni e pratiche nel lavoro dell'accoglienza rivolta a rifugiati e richiedenti asilo, Educazione Interculturale, 16, 1, 2018 (disponibile online)

Fassin, D. Ragione umanitaria. Una storia morale del presente, Roma: DeriveApprodi, 2018.

Taliani, S. Il tempo della disobbedienza. Per un'antropologia della parentela nella migrazione, Verona: Ombre Corte, 2019.

Vietti, F. Il paese delle badanti, Milano: Meltemi, 2019

Ciabarri L. L'imbroglio mediterraneo. Le migrazioni via mare e le politiche della frontiera, Milano: Cortina, 2020

Tosi Cambini, S. Altri confini. Storia, mobilità e migrazioni di una rete di famiglie Rudari tra la Romania e l'Italia, Milano: Mimesis, 2021.

Sorgoni, B. Antropologia delle migrazioni. L'età dei rifugiati, Carocci, Roma, 2022.

Santanera G. Diritti mediati. Antropologia digitale e domanda di asilo politico in Italia, Milano: Ledizioni, 2024

Biffi, D. Auto-etnografia dell'accoglienza. Lavorare nei servizi per richiedenti asilo e rifugiati, Reggio Emilia: Junior, 2025.

Some further readings will be provided in Virtuale

NB* For the international/ERASMUS students only: possibility to arrange with the teacher alternative readings in English

Teaching methods

Following the innovative training process, lectures will be accompanied by seminars with experts and researchers differently engaged in migration issues; as well as  interactive discussion of visual material and cases studies; reflexive exercise practices and training at distance. 

The course is also part of the university’s experimental teaching innovation project through a blended format, combining in-person teaching with online activities. The online component (4 hours) will be dedicated to facilitating dialogue between students and professionals/designers from social cooperatives involved in the reception of migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. The use of the online platform is intended to encourage the active participation of working students or those who do not usually attend classes and will foster a collective learning environment. This will trigger cross-dialogue with local actors, encouraging a critical approach to the design and management of social interventions and cultural mediation.

 

Assessment methods

Oral exam. The conversation aims at assessing the understanding and assimilation of the main concepts discussed during the course and within the texts of the program

Teaching tools

Ppt Presentations; Videos and visual products; Further readings in Virtuale

Students with DSA or disabilities: it is recommended that they contact the responsible University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as soon as possible. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, considering the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Federica Tarabusi