2024-2025 / SOCI2248-1

Refugee Studies - Forced Migration

Duration

18h Th, 12h Pr

Number of credits

 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 
 Master in geography, global change, research focus6 crédits 

Lecturer

Elsa Mescoli

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This course is aimed at introducing the study of the issues linked to refugees and forced migration within an international context. The course includes lectures by the teacher, as well as a fieldwork to be conducted by students under the supervision of the teacher.

At the theoretical level, the course will first approach the international context of forced migration through introducing the norms that regulate the determination of the status of refugee and the granting of the subsidiary protection. A state of the art of the socio-anthropological literature within this field of study will also be presented. Then, some more specific themes will be approached with the support of significant articles that will allow to take into account a variety of issues, actors, approaches and contexts connected to this field of action and research. At an empirical level, the course will provide students with the opportunity of atudying further some among these themes through fieldwork to be realized in a place and with a methodology that will be defined by students through discussion with the teacher.

The detailed programme of the lessons will be specified at the beginning of the course.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

By the end of this course, students will be able to identify the issues involved in contemporary forced migration and analyse them using appropriate theoretical and methodological tools.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Since the course is taught in English, the knowledge of both oral and written English is necessary. For fieldwork, knowledge of French and/or other languages is an asset. 

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The course will comprise a series of lessons given by the teacher and fieldwork expected of the student, organised according to the chosen subject of study and methodology.

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

Face-to-face course


Additional information:

Face-to-face course. Attendance is highly recommended. In case the number of students registered is below 10 persons, the course could be organised differently. 

If you have any constraints, particularly work-related, please contact the teacher.

Course materials and recommended or required readings

All recommended or compulsory readings and the course material will be posted on MyULiège.

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- Remote

written exam

Written work / report

Continuous assessment


Further information:

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- Remote

written exam

Written work / report

Continuous assessment


Additional information:

EVALUATION

Evaluation is based on 2 short essays (mid-term paper and final paper) and on the participation in class.

The progress of the fieldwork and of the final paper are presented by students in class during the last session.

Guidelines for the 2 papers:

MID TERM PAPER (5 points - 25%) 

  • one short essay of 1,000 words (two pages max.) aimed at presenting the expected fieldwork project, including a description of the chosen object of study and methodology, as well as an introduction of the literature that will be mobilized.  
FINAL PAPER (10 points - 50%) 

  • one essay of 5,000 words (excluding frontpage, references, footnotes, bibliography, annex...) on the conducted fieldwork and including: the detailed description of the accomplished steps and the date collected, together with the reflexive analysis of the methodology adopted; the study of the data made through appropriate theoretical tools and aimed at understanding the chosen object of study and at identifying the issues connected to it. 
  • +10% to -10% variation allowed in paper length
The evaluation criteria include the following points:

  • Accurate analysis of the collected data and of the adopted methodology
  • Adequate discussion at the conceptual and theoretical level based on a deep review of the literature
  • The bibliography must include a minimum of 8 scientific articles identified via appropriate search engines and databases. 
  • The theme of the research is linked to the contents of the course
PARTICIPATION (5 points - 25%) 

  • Presence in class
  • Active participation in discussion
  • Oral presentation of the fieldwork and final paper progress
 

Work placement(s)

There are no placements planned as part of this course, but a "service learning" option has been organised (see the SOCI2248-2 engagement pédagogique).

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

Sessions take place in the second Semester, times and rooms can be consulted via Celcat.

Contacts

Elsa Mescoli
E.Mescoli@uliege.be

Chargée de cours en Anthropologie des migrations
CEDEM - Centre d'études de l'ethnicité et des migrations
LASC - Laboratoire d'anthropologie sociale et culturelle
Université de Liège, Faculté des Sciences Sociales
Place des orateurs 3 (Quartier Agora), bât. 31, bte 24
4000 Liège - Belgique
Tél. : 00 32 4 366 30 51

https://www.cedem.uliege.be/cms/c_5198178/fr/cedem-elsa-mescoli
https://www.lasc.uliege.be/cms/c_3366094/en/mescoli-elsa https://orbi.uliege.be/simple-search?query=mescoli
 
Contact method: by email (with the possibility of making an appointment).

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:

Following the MOOC of CEDEM on the plateform France Université Numérique is also suggested (https://online.jobsatskillscampus.be/courses/course-v1:uLiege+CS06+S1/about) but not compulsory.