2024-2025 / SOCI1242-3

Migration Transnationalism and Development

Duration

30h SEM

Number of credits

 Master in population and development studies, professional focus North-South cooperation6 crédits 
 Master in Sociology, professional focus in migration and ethnic studies (Finalité spécialisée en Migration and Ethnic Studies)6 crédits 
 Extra courses intended for exchange students (Erasmus, ...) (Faculty of social sciences)6 crédits 

Lecturer

Jean-Michel Lafleur

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This course seeks to introduce students to the study of the articulation between international migratory movements and processes of development. The course takes on a multi-disciplinary approach and aims to allow students to be familiar with the diversity in approaches to the subject. This course is taught in English.

The course comprises two types of sessions. The first is a series of lectures and discussions about the main international migration theories and the concepts of migration, development, remittances, social remittances, transnationalism and diaspora. The second is comprised of various thematic sessions, which will present various case studies that show the impact of migrants on their receiving and sending countries and migrants' homemaking and attachment to and use of public spaces. Through these thematic sessions, different questions on the topics of migration and development will be addressed, including: remittances, the role of migrant-led international solidarity organisations (e.g. hometown associations), state and societies' reactions to migrants' transnational practices and the impact of migration on the health and social sector.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The objective of this course is to allow students to have a greater familiarity with the different approaches to issues of migration and development. It will allow students to develop their own reflections on these issues in ways that are both theoretically and empirically grounded.

More precisely, students should be able at the end f this course to:

  • ?Identify and discuss the drivers of migration and its impact on sending societies
  • ?Apply scientific evidence provided during the course in debates on immigration
  • ?Be able to collaborate with other students to make a group presentation based on an extended review of relevant scientific literature and identification of relevant empirical evidence
  • ?Critically evaluate discourses and policies on migration and development

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

The course is taught in English; therefore, a good knowledge of English is required in order to understand the required readings, audio-visual aids and sessions. The ability to read, understand and synthesise scientific articles is also required.



 

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

  • Classroom teaching/attendance is required unless stipulated otherwise.
  • Most courses are based on readings (the list of readings and texts are available online)
  • All reading -exception when they are clearly indicated as "optional" are Obligatory readings that must be done by all students before the class
  • Students who receive less than 6 ECTS for this course (eg. Erasmus students) should contact the teacher and he will indicate which readings they can skip.
  • The written test is only based on the obligatory readings but it is alllowed for students to use what they read in the optional readings to respond to question if they find it relevant

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course


Further information:

Face-to-face course. Based on the availability of some external speakers, some sessions  could excetpionnally be given online

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus


Further information:

Before each class, students are encouraged to read the scientific articles/readings on the subject that the course will cover. This reading is important if the student is to participate actively in class. The readings and slides of the sessions will be available only on the e-campus platform. Readings will not be sent via email.

Written work / report

Continuous assessment

Out-of-session test(s)


Further information:

1) Active participation in the lectures (20% of the grade, 4/20)

This entails:

-being present in class

-actively participating in discussions during lectures using arguments from the previous lectures, course readings and student's own 

-actively participate in discussions during class presentations

For the students who follow the course for 6 ECTS, the recomended readings are obligaotry and should be used during the students' class interventions

 

2) In-class written test (40% of the grade, 8/20) DATE: 23 OCOTBER 2024 - class time

The mid-term test is a written test taken in class on 23/10/24 during class hours. The test will consist in a series of questions related to the material presented during the lectures and in the required readings. A maximum of 90 minutes will be provided and students will not be authorized to use laptops nor paper copies of reading material and or class notes to answer the test. The goal of the mid-term test is to encourage students to acquire a base of knowledge on concepts and theories that will be useful to critically engage in debates on migration and development during the final group presentations.

3) Final Group Presentation (40% of the grade, 10/20) DATE: 11 and 18 DECEMBER 2024 - class time

Precise guidelines and research topics will be provided once the final number of students attending the course is known. Group presentation consists in an oral presentation (with powerpoint) of desk research conducted by students to answer a broad question related to major debates in the study of migration and development. The questions will be provided to each group by the professor. The goal of presentations is to 

 

  • Present the question, its relevance and potential shortcomings
  • Define the relevant concepts to discuss the topic in question
  • Identify theories (and scholars) that can help answer the question
  • Present a maximum of 2 in-depth case studies to defend your arguments
  • Promote in-class discussion with students outside of your group (using debate questions, exercise, quizz or any tool that promotes the engagement of the audience)
  • After the discussion, sum up the main arguments discussed in presentation and in the class discussion
 

Second session (Resitting the exam):
Written essay of 5,000 words (excluding references). Precise guidelines & deadline to be announced (100% of the grade 20/20)

Work placement(s)

Not applicable

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

Unless changes are communicated on CELCAT, the course is held in B31 Séminaire 8 - Salle Info (2/60) [Liège Sart-Tilman - Agora] on Wednesdays between 12 and 2PM

Contacts

Course instructor is Jean-Michel Lafleur: https://www.uliege.be/cms/c_9054334/en/directory?uid=u196664

Association of one or more MOOCs

The MOOC entitled 'Migrations internationales : Comment les mobilités transforment les sociétés ? (H2)' is associated with this course.