300031 Transnational Studies. Work in Progress. Research Class (WkS) (WiSe 2018/2019)

This seminar focuses on social formations emerging out of sustained cross-border processes (transnational social spaces), their consequences (transnationalization), and corresponding social practices (transnationality). In this seminar participants discuss (1) conceptual work dealing with cross-border perspectives on issues relating to migration, citizenship and development, and (2) work-in-progress which broadly deals with questions of the global social order. At the core are issues of development politics and policies, transnational social policy, international migration and integration, inequalities and equalities, democracy and citizenship. This seminar identifies questions for further research and offers some methodological venues for the study of cross-border transactions.

In particular, this seminar is meant to help doctoral candidates to conceptualize their thesis papers, conduct research and write the final version. Among other things students learn to select relevant literatures, develop a research design and evaluate empirical data.

The core of the seminar is the presentation of work-in-progress by all participants. All participants have to register by October 1, 2018. The papers have to be distributed ahead of the presentation through ekVV by December 1, 2018. Papers distributed later will not be considered for discussion. We will devote ca. 90 min (1,5h) to each paper. There will be no oral presentation by the author prior to the discussion. We will delve into the discussion of the paper right away.