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 reading 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, 2014
2. Baumann, G. L'enigma multiculturale, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2017
3. Riccio, B. (eds) Antropologia e migrazioni, CISU, Roma, 2014 (cap.1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 17)

Two among the following:

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

Riccio, B., Boccagni, P. (eds) Migrazioni e ricerca qualitativa in Italia, Mondi Migranti, 3, 2014.

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

Khosravi S. Io sono confine, Eleuthera, Milano, 2019.

Lofranco, Z.T., Pusceddu, A. (eds) Oltre Adriatico e ritorno. Percorsi antropologici tra Italia e Sudest Europa, Milano: Meltemi, 2017

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

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

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

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

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

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

Castellano, V. Revolving door. I servizi per i minori e la riproduzione delle disuguaglianze a New York, Parma: Junior, 2018.

Pinelli, B. Donne come le altre, Firenze: Ed.it, 2011

Guerzoni, G., Riccio, B. (eds) 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

Sorgoni, B. (ed) Etnografia dell'accoglienza. Rifugiati e richiedenti asilo a Ravenna, Roma: CISU, 2011

Sorgoni, B. (ed) Chiedere Asilo in Europa, Lares, 1, 2011

Altin, R. et al. (eds) Richiedenti asilo e sapere antropologico, Antropologia Pubblica, 3, 1, 2017 (available online Vol 3 No 1 (2017): Richiedenti asilo e sapere antropologico | Antropologia Pubblica (riviste-clueb.online) [https://riviste-clueb.online/index.php/anpub/issue/view/12]

Riccio, B., Tarabusi, F. (eds) Dilemmi, mediazioni e pratiche nel lavoro dell'accoglienza rivolta a rifugiati e richiedenti asilo, Educazione Interculturale, 16, 1, 2018 (available online: Vol. 16, n. 1 – Educazione Interculturale (erickson.it) [https://rivistedigitali.erickson.it/educazione-interculturale/archivio/vol-16-n-1/]

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

Taliani, S., Vacchiano, F., Altri corpi. Antropologia ed etnopsicologia della migrazione, Unicopli, Milano, 2006.

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.

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

Office hours

See the website of Federica Tarabusi