Study Programmes 2015-2016
SOCI2249-1  
Citizenship and Political mobilization of ethnic minorities in the EU and the US
Duration :
30h Th
Number of credits :
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 class is designed to familiarize students with issues around the participation and representation of migrants and ethnic minorities. It focuses on two geographical areas -the United States and the European Union- where these issues traditionnally occupy a predominant place in the political agenda.
 
The course is made of a series of ex-cathedra lectures in which students are invited to take an active part through class discussion. Each student is expected to actively read a minimum of 2 scientific articles before each class.
 
Lectures are given by Jean-Michel Lafleur and a limited number of external speakers.
In parallel to these lectures, students are expected to work on a several intermidiary deliverables in view of producing a final paper by the end of the class.
 
Learning outcomes of the course :
This course is designed to enable students to acquire the following skills:
-critical reading of scientific literature in sociology and political science
-understanding of democratic issues around the participation of ethnic minorities
-ability to develop an articulate and critical discourse on those issues 
-ability to conduct a literature review that puts in dialogue different scientific perspectives on the same research object
-scientific writing skills
-ability to conduct fieldwork and collect empirical material following research methods in social sciences
-ability to connect and confront your own empirical results with the existing literature
Prerequisite knowledge and skills :
The course is taught in English. The minimum requirement is a good passive knowledge of the language
Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
-prepare scientific readings before each class
-participate actively in lectures throughout the semester
-present one scientific reading in front of the class
-submission of exercises during the semester in view of submitting a final research paper at the end of the semester
-submission of research paper on a topic related to the class. The paper contains a critical discussion of the litarature and the presentation of empirical data collected by the students themselves
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :
Active participation of students to the lectures is required.
Depending on the availability of external speakers; some lectures may be given via video-conference
Recommended or required readings :
Students receive the list of obligatory reading during the week following the first (22/9)
Assessment methods and criteria :
Evaluation is based on 3 elements
1. Active participaton in class and in take-home excercises (5 points)
Students are expected to prepare mandatory readings before each class and use these readings to participate in class discussions. Each students will also be invited to present one reading in front of the class.
In addition, student will have to submit two exercises during the semester that will serve as basis for their final research paper: 1) one interview transcript with a key informant for their paper and 2) one short report on the observation of an activity connected to the research object of their paper.
 
2. One final research paper (10 points)
Students are expected to write a research paper tha comprises between 5000 and 5.500 words (excluding frontpage, references, footnotes, bibliography, annex...) on a topic of their choice connected to issues of citizenship and political participation of minorities. This research paper will comprise a conceptual and theoretical discussion based on an exhaustive review of the literature. The paper also includes an original input of the student in form of empirical material collected by him/her or an original anylisis of exisiting material. A draft version of the paper is to be submitted by 14/12 and is discussed on class on 15/12. The final version of the paper is to be submitted on 4/1/16.
3. Oral defense (5 points)
Students present their research paper to the professor during the exam session. They have 10 minutes to sum up their method, the main lessons of their paper and possible avenues for future research in the field. Students are advised to use a powerpoint presentation. The presentation is followed by a series of questions and answers on the paper and the presentation during the next 20 minutes.
Resitting the examen
Students who fail in January are invited to resumbit a new research paper (15 points) and defend it orally in front f the professoer (5 points). Guidelines are the same as the ones described in point 2 and 3.
Deadlines for paper submission and defense will be set in after the January 2016 exam session.
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 class is taught on tuesdays between 10.00 and 12.00. Classroom: "Séminaire 12", Building B31
 
Course starts on 22/9/15.No preparatory reading before the first class.
If the number of students registered for this class is 4 or less, the lectures are replaced by a limited number of face-to-face meetings with the professor to prepare the research paper.
 
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 ulg.ac.be  http://www.cedem.ulg.ac.be