Arts, Ethnicity and Migration

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Marco Martiniello

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

The importance of arts and popular culture in immigrant and ethnicized minorities' incorporation remains a relatively underexplored subject in the sociological and political science literature on migration and incorporation and a sort of monopoly of cultural and media studies. The aim of the course is to fill this gap.
 
In order to better understand the relevance of the arts in the theoretical and policy debates about immigrant incorporation and diversity in migration and post-migration cities but also in the present phase of ethnicized and racialized social and economic relations, five domains can be considered, which taken together, constitute a general framework in which more theoretically grounded empirical research should develop: local culture, social relations and interactions, local cultural and incorporation policies, local politics and local economics. The five domains constitute the 5 parts of the course
 
1. At the cultural level, it is important to examine how artistic productions by immigrants and members of ethnicized and racialized minorities change the mainstream local and even national artistic scene. For example, how do immigrants' musical expressions inspired by their experience of migration and/or discrimination change and enrich local cultures through processes such as "cultural métissage", fusion and invention?
 
2.At the social level, the idea that artistic expressions can help to build bridges, to facilitate the encounters (Vertovec, 2009) between populations with different ethnic origins sharing the same city or the same neighbourhood needs to be explored and contextualised. An interesting question would be to explore to what extent and under which conditions popular music can become a means of communication and dialogue between different members of different groups to build some form of shared local citizenship or co-inclusion in the local community.
 
3.Another crucial issue is the potential policy relevance of arts in migration and post-migration cities. The first idea is explore the issue of representation of diversity (Vertovec, 2009) in national, subnational and local cultural policies: do official cultural institutions support immigrant artists? Are local cultural policies becoming multicultural? How do migrant and ethnicized artists mobilize in order to change cultural policies? It also seems important to examine to what extent arts are used and could be a useful tool in local incorporation and social cohesion policies.
 
4. At the political level, arts can be the basis for forming collective identities and can play an important role in social and political mobilisation (Martiniello and Lafleur, 2008; Mattern, 1998). We need to better understand how artistic expressions play a role in the negotiation and the assertion of various conceptions of local (ethnic, transethnic, etc.) identities. We should also examine how today artistic expressions serve the protest against and denunciation of the local social and political order. Finally, more research is needed on how local electoral campaigns might use immigrant and ethnic artistic talents and forms of expression, but also on how the artists negotiate their support to politicians. Artistic expressions can play an important role in the mobilization politically marginal groups such as immigrant and ethnicized minorities.   
5. Finally, at the economic level, the issue of the impact of immigrant and ethnic artistic expressions on the local economy through ethnic tourism (Rath, 2006), festivals but also the development of a local immigrant and ethnic artistic life deserves specific attention. 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The aim of the course is to provide the students with a theoretical basis as well as with a global picture of the links between arts, ethnicity and migration

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

A good passive and active knowledge of written and spoken English is indispensable. THE COURSE IS TOTALLY IN ENGLISH, INCLUDING THE EVALUATION.
This is an advanced course. A solid background in ethnic and migration studies and in qualitative research methods in social sciences is necessary.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The students will be required to write a paper and to present it orally during the examination session in January 2025.  
PRESENCE IN CLASS IS REQUIRED

ANY UNJUSTIFIED ABSENCE IMPLIES A ONE POINT PENALTY ON THE FINAL GRADE

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

Face-to-face course


Further information:

The course could use 2 pedagogical tools:
- Lectures by the teacher

-Group discussion based on assigned readings

- Personal paper(s) written by each student under the supervision of the teacher

If less than 5 students are registered, lectures by the teacher will not take place and will be replaced by a personal tutoral with each student

Course materials and recommended or required readings

DiMaggio Paul and Fernandez-Kelly Patricia (Eds.) (2010) Art in the Lives of Immigrant Communities in the United States, New Brunswick and London, Rutgers University Press
 
Harris Anita (2013) Young People and Everyday Multiculturalism, New York and London, Routledge
 
Lafleur Jean-Michel and Martiniello Marco (2010) 'Si se puede ! Music, musicians and the Latino vote at the 2008 US Presidential election', Migraçoes. Journal of the Portuguese Immigration Observatory, N° 7 October 2010, pp.213-231.
 
Kasinitz Philip (2014), 'Immigrants, the Arts, and the "Second-Generation Advantage in New-York', in Foner Nancy, Rath Jan, Duyvendak Jan Willem and van Reekum Rogier (Eds.), New York and Amsterdam. Immigration and the New Urban Landscape, New York and Lond, New York University Press, 263-286.
 
Mattern Mark (1998), Acting in Concert. Music, Community, and Political Action, New Brunswick and London, Rutgers University Press
 
Martiniello Marco and Lafleur Jean-Michel (2008) 'Ethnic Minorities' Cultural Practices as Forms of Political Expression : A Review of the Literature and a Theoretical discussion on Music', Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol. 34, N°8, pp.1191-1215.
 
Martiniello Marco and Rath Jan (Eds.) (2010), Selected Studies in International Migration and Immigrant Incorporation, Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Press
 
Martiniello Marco and Rath Jan (Eds.) (2012), An Introduction to International Migration Studies. European Perspectives, Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Press
 
Martiniello Marco and Rath Jan (Eds.) (2014), An Introduction to Immigrant Incorporation Studies. European Perspectives, Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Press
 
Martiniello Marco (Ed.) (2014a), Artistic separation versus artistic mixing in European multicultural cities,  Identities. Global Studies in Culture and Power,  Volume 21, Issue 1, February
 
Martiniello Marco (Ed.) (2014b), Multiculturalism and the Arts in European Cities, London, Routledge
 
Martiniello Marco, Puig Nicolas and Suzanne Gilles (Eds.) (2009) Création en migrations. Parcours, déplacements, racinements, Revue Européenne des Migrations Internationales, Thematic issue, Vol. 25, N° 2, 140 p.
 
Vertovec, Steven (2009) Conceiving and Researching Diversity, Göttingen : Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, MMG Working Paper 09-01

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

oral exam

Written work / report


Further information:

First session: written paper(s) (70%) and oral exam (30%)

Second session: written paper(s) (70%) and oral exam (30%)

Work placement(s)

No work placement

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

The detailed timetable will be communicated during the first class in September 26 2024

Contacts

Marco Martiniello (M.Martiniello@uliege.be)

Association of one or more MOOCs

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


Additional information:

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


Additional information:

The MOOC proposes to follow in 7 stages the path of migrants from a society of origin to the society of settlement. These migration paths can vary significantly from one migrant to another. One can migrate with or without legal permission to do so. One may find better economic opportunities in the country of residence or, on the contrary, be in a precarious situation. Finally, migration can lead to permanent settlement or, conversely, to multiple displacements or even to a return to the society of origin.

To provide the keys to a better understanding of migration, various activities are planned: video clips and chats with three teachers, interviews with experts to deepen certain more specific issues such as the question of camps or religious diversity. There will also be migrants' testimonies, short texts to read to deconstruct certain myths and finally quizzes to help you remember the central notions and concepts on migration.

 

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