Study Programmes 2015-2016
SOCI1242-3  
Migration Transnationalism and Development
Duration :
30h SEM
Number of credits :
Master in anthropology (120 ECTS)6
Master in population and development studies (120 ECTS)6
Master in population and development studies (120 ECTS)6
Master in sociology (120 ECTS)6
Master in sociology (120 ECTS)6
Lecturer :
Jean-Michel Lafleur
Language(s) of instruction :
English language
Organisation and examination :
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Course contents :
This seminar entitled: "Migration, Transnationalism and Development" seeks to introduce students to the study of the articulation between international migratory movements and the 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 three sections. The first part is a series of ex-cathedra sessions through which we will discuss the main international migration theories and the concepts of migration, development, remittances, social remittances, transnationalism and diaspora. The second part is comprised of various thematic sessions, which will present various case studies that show the impact of migrants on their receiving and sending countries. Through these thematic sessions different questions on the topics of migration and development will be dealt with including: the issue of remittances, the role of migrant's international solidarity organizations (hometown associations) in the sending societies and the state's reactions to migrant's transnational practices, the impact of migration on the Health sector in the Global South... Finally, the last session will be dedicated to the presentation of the student's group research papers and the blog. 
Learning outcomes of the course :
The objective of this seminar is to allow students to have a greater familiarity with the different approaches on the issue of migration and development. It will allow the students to develop a reflection on these issues that is both theoretically and empirically grounded. 
 
More precisely the seminar aims at:
  • training students to do critical reading of the scientific literature
  • training students to collect empirical data using research methods in social sciences
  • improving students academic writing skills
  • allowing students to use multimedia technologies (videorecording) and social media (blog) to present their research results
Prerequisite knowledge and skills :
The course will be taught in English. At minimum, a good passive knowledge of English is required for the actual understanding of the class readings, the audio-visual material and the course's ex-cathedra sessions. 
Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
  • one mandatory reading before each class + response to questions on online platform (blackboard)
  • one or several optional readings will be put online. Reading them before class is not mandatory but they are useful for group work and the exam.
  • one short group research paper to submit in writing and to post on a blog with short video interviewes conducted by students
  • one oral presentation on the results of the research paper at the of the course
  • One field visit in Brussels on Sunday 25/10/15. Students who cannot attend can replace this visit with another exercise of observation to define before 25/10 witht the professor
  • Additionally, students are encouraged to attend academic conferences on the topic of migration that will be organized during the semester. These conferences could be held outside of the course hours and in a different location than that of the usual course classroom. 
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :
Students are expected to be present and active participants in the classroom. Students are also expected to connect at least once a week on blackboard to prepare the next session's readings.
Recommended or required readings :
Before each class, students are expected to read at least one scientific articles related to the topic of the lecture and, in some case, answer online questions about those texts. These readings are indispensable to be able to participate in class. The reading material, the questions, and the powerpoint slides of the ex-cathedra sessions will be exclusively available on blackboard. No material will be sent via e-mail.
Assessment methods and criteria :
The evaluation is done according to three main assessments:
1.  Active Participation in the Classroom and online (4 points).

Active participation is one of the central elements in a seminar. This participation is defined by the student's capacity to contribute to the class discussions but also by his/her abilities to use the preparatory/mandatory readings in class discussions and online. 


2.  Group Research Paper (6 points)
  The research paper is (1) a written dissertation, (2) an entry on a student blog with short video interviews (= summary of dissertation) and (3) a presentation of the work and blog in class.  


Precise guidelines for these activities are available on blackboard
(1) The dissertation should be in between 1500 and 2000 words. It touches upon one specific dimension of a common theme. This common theme in 2015-2016 is "Immigrants financial and social remittances in Liège"

(2) The blog is a web platform created by the students where the dissertation of the different groups will be put together. Each dissertation represents one section of the blog. In addition to text, students are expected to include rlevant multi-media material and short video interviews conducted with key informants. A video camera will be made available to students by ISHS (Social and Human Sciences Institute). Furthermore, the computer labs in Building B31 are equipped with the appropriate software to perform basic editing of videos.
(3) a short presentation of research results in front of the class at the end of the semester.
Overall, the research paper should show the capacity of the students to:
-Identify and synthetise the scientific literature concerning their chosen research question/theme.
-Discuss the contributions and gaps of the existent literature.
-Identify the pertinent reports and statistics and present them in a coherent fashion through their dissertations.
-Conduct a limited but methodologically rigorous fieldwork. 
-Create small interview videos, edit them and post them in the online blog.
3.Written exam: (10 points)
  The final evaluation will be a written exam, composed of questions in English that students will answer in either English or French. Students are authorized to sit in the exam with their class notes and the scientific articles they read during the semester.
Second Session:
In the second session the evaluation will be a written essay (in French or English) that comprises betwee 4.000 and 4.500 words (excluding bibliography, front page, endnotes, annex...). The topic of the research paper touches upon migration and development issues and is decided jointly with the professor before 30 July 2016.
Submission date for the essay will be anounced in due course
Work placement(s) :
Internship connected to the class are available. A full list is posted on the student information boards of the Social Science Institute (B31, floor 1)
Organizational remarks :
The course is taught every tuesday between 1 and 3PM in room "Seminaire 3", building B31.
The course calendar is available on blackboard.
The course starts on 22/09/14. No preparatory reading is necessary for the first class.
 


 
Contacts :
Instructor:
Jean-Michel LAFLEUR F.R.S-FNRS Research Associate Universite de Liege Institut des Sciences humaines et sociales Centre d'Etudes de l'Ethnicité et des Migrations (CEDEM)
Office R.40 (building B31)
Office hours: by appointment only (via e-mail) Tel. 04 366 46 80
jm.lafleur >at> ulg.ac.be
http://www.cedem.ulg.ac.be 
 
Teaching Assistant:
Maria Vivas Romero
FRS-FNRS FRESH Researcher
Researcher at CEDEM
Office hours: by appointment only (via e-mail)
Mvivas >at> ulg.ac.be