300238 Introduction into the Sociology of Migration and Mobility (S) (SoSe 2013)

BA, Introduction into the Sociology of Migration and Mobility

The seminar introduces students into the sociological theories of migration and mobility. It covers both classical approaches and recent concepts and critiques in the study on spatial mobilities, their social organisation and the implications and consequences.

During the course the following topics and concepts will be discussed that deal with social processes across, within and beyond state borders:
 Internal and international migration
 Migration from poor to rich countries
 Social networks and cumulative causation
 Labour market mobility in Europe
 Classical and new assimilation theories
 Ethnic pluralism, persistence and reactivity
 Boundary making, blurring and shifting
 Gendered migrations
 Transnational migration
 Transnationality of second generation immigrants
 Methodological nationalism and the mobility turn in sociology
 From mobility to cosmopolitanism?

Requirements for participation, required level

Language of instruction and discussion of the course is English.
Proceeding includes oral presentations, plenary discussion and written exercises. Regular attendance and active participation based on each session’s readings on part of the participants are basic requirements. In order to encourage active participation and the training of oral and written skills of academic English all participants of the course are required to contribute with shorter presentations and texts.

Bibliography

Introductory literature
Castles, Stephen and Mark J. Miller, 2009, The Age of Migration. International Population Movements in the Modern World, Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan, 4th. revised edition.
Faist, Thomas and Peter Kivisto, 2010 Beyond a border. The causes and consequences of international immigration, Thousand Oaks: Sage Publishers
Faist, Thomas, Margit Fauser and Eveline Reisenauer, 2013, Transnational Migration. Oxford: Polity Press