Migration Transnationalism and Development

Duration

30h SEM

Number of credits

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

Learning unit 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 two 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... 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The objective of this course 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
• improving students academic writing skills
• developing critical and autonomous on the topic of migration and development and its linkages with the Global South

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. 
Students should be able to read, understand and synthetise the main arguments contained in scientific articles.
ACCESS TO E-CAMPUS BLACKBOARD (BB) IS INDISPENSIBLE TO FOLLOW THIS COURSE. ALL THE READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS ARE POSTED ON BB. STUDENTS NEED TO BE FULLY REGISTERED WITH THE UNIVERSITY TO ACCESS BB. THE PROFESSOR CANNOT GRANT ACCESS TO BLACKBOARD. IN CASE OF PROBLEM, SEE WITH COURSE ASSISTANT LARISA LARA.
 

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

• At least 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 reading them is indispensible for the exam.
• One field visit in Liège (details will fowllow)
• 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. (check CEDEM's website and facebook page)

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 article 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

 
FIRST SESSION
The evaluation is done according to two main elements:
1.  Active Participation in the Classroom and online (5 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 adequately the preparatory/mandatory readings in class discussions and online. 
For the students of the Master en sciences de la population et du développement, the additional online activities are also integrated in the particiaption grade.

2.Written exam: (15 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 (20 points):
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 by the professor before 30 avril 2018.
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). You may also consult your professor on this matter.

Organizational remarks

The course is taught every tuesday between 1 and 3PM in room Séminaire 10 (B31)
The course calendar is available on blackboard.
The course starts on 03/10/17. No preparatory reading is necessary for the first class.
  ACCESS TO E-CAMPUS BLACKBOARD (BB) IS INDISPENSIBLE TO FOLLOW THIS COURSE. ALL THE READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS ARE POSTED ON BB. STUDENTS NEED TO BE FULLY REGISTERED WITH THE UNIVERSITY TO ACCESS BB. THE PROFESSOR CANNOT GRANT ACCESS TO BLACKBOARD. IN CASE OF PROBLEM, SEE WITH COURSE ASSISTANT LARISA LARA.

 

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
http://www.cedem.ulg.ac.be 
 
Teaching Assistant:
Larisa LARA GUERRERO Researcher at CEDEM
Office hours: by appointment only (via e-mail)
LV.Lara@student.ulg.ac.be