Universität Wien

210110 SE M6 b: Austrian Politics (2015W)

GLOBAL MIGRATION POLITICS AUSTRIA IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE

8.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 21 - Politikwissenschaft
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 40 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

Organisation
Block seminar: Friday October 23 2015 (9.45 am-6.15 pm) Saturday October 24 (9 am-4.30 pm), Friday November 20 (9.45 am-6.15 pm) Saturday November 21 (9 am-4.30 pm). SR1, NIG, 2 Stock

  • Friday 23.10. 09:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum 1 (S1), NIG 2. Stock
  • Saturday 24.10. 09:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 (S1), NIG 2. Stock
  • Friday 20.11. 09:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum 1 (S1), NIG 2. Stock
  • Saturday 21.11. 09:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 1 (S1), NIG 2. Stock

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

International migration is one of the most important issues in global politics. This module examines how states, regional organisations (such as the European Union) and institutions at international level (such as the United Nations) respond to the challenges of international migration. A major focus throughout the seminar will be a comparative focus on Austria, looking at similarities and differences in migration politics to other countries and world regions. The module encourages students to assess leading conceptual and theoretical interpretations of the relationship between international migration, the state system and ideas such as sovereignty, rights and protection. These have all become global issues because they are at the intersection of politics at state and international level. The module considers responses to international migration in its various forms in terms of often competing modes of understanding or 'framing' of international migration, i.e., as a security concern, as a human rights issue or as a matter of economic development. It also explores prospects for the ‘global governance’ of international migration. The module begins with a general introduction to our understandings of international migration and reviews the literature on various types of international migration. The module then examines responses and interpretations of the phenomenon of migration by key governance actors in Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific and asks whether institutions at global level can emerge for the management of international migration, such as within the UN system. The module concludes by thinking about key issues in the future development of migration, such as the effects of climate change.

Assessment and permitted materials

Attendance
Completion of core reading in advance of the seminars
Active participation in the seminar discussion
Seminar presentations (Preparation of a presentations by each student)
Active involvement in group discussions
Submission of one Essay (approximately 4000 words in length)

Assessment
Essay: 60 per cent
Presentation and active participation: 40 per cent

Possible Essay Topics (all of them have to take reference to Austrian migration politics and governance):
1. Is the nation-state losing power to control immigration?
2. Does the development of a common EU migration and asylum policy make ‘fortress Europe’ more or less likely?
3. Is the global governance of international migration feasible and desirable?
4. Is there a (European) migration crisis?

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

By the end of the seminar, students will be able to:

Demonstrate independent and critical understanding of the most important aspects of political responses to and perception about global migration

Fully identify the differences between forms and types of migration and the responses that develop at national, regional and international level

Show awareness of the relationship between theory and practice in relation to the politics of global migration

Demonstrate understanding of varying responses to state, regional and international level to global migration

Fully identify the strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical approaches to the study of the politics of global migration and to assess critically the competing claims that are made regarding the impact of international migration

Write scholarly and grammatically correct essays that are referenced in accordance with established academic practice.

Examination topics

The seminar is taught in ten units that will allow us to explore key themes in the politics of global migration.

Section A. Understanding the politics of international migration

Unit 1 : Introduction: What is international migration?

2 The politics of international migration (with special focus/references to Austria)

3 The quest for control (with special focus/references to Austria)

4 Forced migration

5 Making the connections: local/cities-national-regional-global

Section B International migration at regional and global level

6 The European Union and Austria’s role

7 North America

8 Asia-Pacific

9 The global governance of international migration

10 Conclusions: the future of migration

Reading list

Core texts

S. Castles and M. Miller, The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the Modern World, Palgrave Macmillan, 5th edition, 2013.

J. Hollifield, M. Philip, and Orrenius, P. (2014, eds.) Controlling Immigration: A Global Perspective, Stanford University Press, Third edition.

A. Betts, Global Migration Governance, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011.

Other useful sources

A. Betts, Survival Migration: Failed Governance and the Crisis of Displacement, Cornell University Press, 2013.

J. Carens, The Ethics of Immigration, Oxford University Press, 2013.

C. Brettel and J. Hollifield, Migration Theory: Talking Across Disciplines, Routledge, 2000.

A. Betts, Forced Migration and Global Politics, Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.

J. Moses, International Migration: Globalisation’s Last Frontier, London: Zed, 2006.

A. Aleinikoff and V. Chetail, Migration and International Legal Norms, T.M.C. Asser, 2003

C. Joppke, Challenge to the Nation State: Immigration in Western Europe and the United States, Oxford University Press, 1998

C. Joppke and V. Guiraudon (eds.) Controlling a New Migration World, Routledge, 2001.

D. Tichenor, Dividing Lines: The Politics of Immigration Control in America, Princeton University Press, 2002.

Bhagwati, J. (1998) A Stream of Windows: Unsettling Reflections on Trade, Immigration and Democracy, Cambridge (Mass.): MIT Press. ISBN

Joppke, C and Morawska, E. (2003) Toward Assimilation and Citizenship: Immigrants in Liberal Nation-States. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan

Portes, A and D. DeWind (2008) Rethinking Migration: New Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives,

Swain, C. (2007) Debating Immigration, Cambridge University Press.

Zolberg, A and P. Benda (2001) Global Migrants, Global Refugees: Problems and Solutions, Berghahn

In addition to the readings listed here it is also important to keep up to date with the current journals. Among the most important journals for this course are the following:

International Migration Review
Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies
Ethnic and Racial Studies
European Journal of Migration and Law
Immigrants and Minorities
International Migration
International Migration Bulletin
International Migration Law
Social Identities

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:38