230102 VO Rethinking Migration (2012W)

Since several years migration is a main topic in sociological research, both internationally and in Austria. At the same time, not only the thematic areas of interest are increasingly diversified, also the theoretical and methodological approaches have changed, in particular since the transnational turn, and the criticism of methodological nationalism. The course offers a critical and research-based discussion of current methodological and conceptual developments in international sociological migration research. The course has three parts: A first section is devoted to the critique of the traditional research approaches. The second section presents new theoretical perspectives, focusing on topics such as autonomy of migration, migration and innovation, collective memory and migration, transnationalism and diaspora, post-colonial and post-migrant positions. A third section deals with the methodological challenges and implications of the new conceptual perspectives.