300690 Research Class: Transnational Studies. Work in Progress (S) (WiSe 2021/2022)

This class focuses on social formations emerging out of sustained cross-border processes (transnational social spaces), their consequences (transnationalization), and corresponding social practices (transnationality). We discuss (1) conceptual work dealing with cross-border perspectives on issues relating to migration, citizenship and social inequalities, and (2) work-in-progress which broadly deals with questions of the global social order. At the core are issues of transnational social policy, international migration and integration, inequalities and equalities, democracy and citizenship. This class is meant to help doctoral candidates to conceptualize their thesis papers, conduct research and write the final version of their dissertation. Among other things students learn to select relevant literatures, develop a conceptual framework and a research design, evaluate and interpret empirical data.
The core of the class is the discussion of work-in-progress by all participants. The papers discussed are accepted dissertation proposals (for beginners), or drafts of individual chapters from the ongoing dissertation (for advanced dissertation writers). Registered participants are required to upload their papers to ekVV Lernraum seven days in advance. Papers distributed later will not be considered for discussion. The length of papers is ca. 10-20 pages. All papers are introduced by a statement on the overall project and how the particular paper fits into the overall dissertation project (ca. half page). Also, the participants indicate the questions they wish to be discussed in the seminar.
We will devote in between 45-90 min to the discussion of 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. The authors of the papers discussed should keep their answers as short as possible. All participants required to comment on other papers. Minor comments (e.g. typos) should be communicated to the author of the paper in a private email.
Each paper will have one discussant. The discussant will provide an oral comment on the respective paper; no more than ca. 10 minutes. These comments will be given before the general discussion of the respective paper. For more discussion, participants should also use (online) meetings of the respective peer groups.
Once the schedule is established, the instructor will assign formal commentators for each paper. In case a participant misses a session, s/he is expected to give written comments to the author of the paper, send these notes to the instructor as well, and upload the comments to the ekVV Lernraum.
All participants are required to join a peer group consisting of around 4 persons (more or less). The groups will function as a venue of exchange among doctoral candidates outside the regular class viz. plenary sessions. This format is meant to enable participants in the Research Class to raise issues of concern and get the suggestions and advice from their peers.

Bibliography

Literaturangaben
Faist, Thomas. 2019. The Transnationalized Social Question: Migration and the Politics of Social Inequalities in the 21st Century. Oxford: Oxford University Press.