Prospectus

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What's the problem? Old and new debates on migration

Course
2011-2012

Admission requirements

-

Description

Migration is clearly one of the most important topics of academic, political and public debates. In order to understand these debates we need to look at them from a historical perspective. In current debates migration is often presented as a problem. In this course we look at how, why and by whom migration has been problematised in the last decades.
We analyse the moral panics the media and NGOs created about issues such as migrant illegality, prostitution, deportations, ethnic riots, criminality and terrorism, and the responses these panics generated in the political arena. Unlike some politicians and journalists believe, these panics are not new. Issues are as easily made important as they are forgotten.
After a survey of recent literature, students do research based on primary source materials such as newspaper articles, visual material (cartoons and photo’s), parliamentary papers or interviews.

Course objectives

  • Knowledge of current and older academic and public debates on migration

  • ability to do research with a variety of primary and secondary sources

  • ability to present research findings.

Timetable

See here.

Mode of instruction

Research seminar.

Assessment method

Two essays and a final presentation.

Blackboard

No

Reading list

To be announced.

Registration

via uSis.

Contact information

E-mail: Prof. dr. M.L.J.C. Schrover