Course Syllabus GS 323 Global Migrations, Refugees and Diasporas Global Studies Department, Faculty of Arts Wilfrid Laurier University

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1 Course Syllabus GS 323 Global Migrations, Refugees and Diasporas Global Studies Department, Faculty of Arts Wilfrid Laurier University Fall 2013 Wednesday pm DAWB Instructor Dr. Sabine Dreher, Global Studies Office Hour: Wednesday 19-20pm DAWB and by appointment and through the course site Course Information Calendar Description This course examines the diverse patterns of human movement in the modern world. Special attention will be given to the movement and representation of refugee communities, whether in their escape from persecution or in their search for survival. The role of international agencies such as the United Nations High Commission on Refugees will be investigated. Prerequisites; Any two 200 level GS course or permission of the co- ordinator. Exclusions GS340a. Course Overview and Approach This course consists of three parts. In part one we look at the history and theory of migration and focus on labour migration. We will also discuss how states and international organizations have regulated so- called economic migration. In the second part we will examine the current refugee crisis with a specific focus on Syria, discuss the various global, regional and national efforts to deal with refugees, and evaluate their effectiveness. Lastly, we will discover migrant internationalism: the international connections formed by migrants with their fellow migrants in other countries and with their home countries discussed in the literature as diasporas and transnational social spaces. We will try to understand their meaning and implications for global and national politics. Format of the class This is a third year elective course and every effort will be made to maintain a seminar style structure that allows for intensive student participation in the class. You will therefore have to come to class prepared and bring the readings with you. You will discuss the readings in smaller groups that will remain constant throughout the term. You will do your roundtable with this group. Your peers will assess your participation in the small group discussion. After the group discussions there will be a video and/or lecture by the professor and a concluding discussion in the class as a whole on that week s topic and question. 1

2 Student Evaluation Research Paper 30% Choose a topic from the course outline and find your own focus. Due last week of the course in print at the beginning of the class and on the course webpage. (Nov 27); late penalty one half grade per day (A+ - > A) starting on the due date and time (16pm); Paper needs to be uploaded to the course webpage before 16pm as I will run a turnitin test for plagiarism. Summaries of the weekly readings for the weeks 2-7 (six weeks) 30% Due in class in print; beginning of the class. One page single- spaced per text (numbered texts only). The first two summaries will be evaluated immediately with short feedback. There will be no feedback on the remaining summaries besides the grade. Late summaries need to be sent electronically; per day late, one half- grade deduction (from A+ to A) beginning at 16pm on the day of the class. Participation 15% Weekly; peer- assessment will be written in the last week in class (Nov 27) Presentation (roundtable contribution) 15% Dates to be decided in week one and two; (5-6 students per roundtable); 7 min per person! Provide a one- page summary in print to the professor before the presentation, if possible (not required). Final exam 10% Exam question: explain what you learned in this class by keeping in mind the course goals and class discussions. (Nov 27); one hour Course Goals and Learning Outcomes Knowledge: At the end you should be able to answer the questions on the course outline and should have gained a broad overview of the three areas covered in the class. One important question will be to ask whether the separation between voluntary and forced or refugee migration can be upheld and if not, what would be the consequences for immigration policies. The broad acquisition of knowledge will be ensured through the reading summaries, and the class discussion supplemented by presentation by the professor. The research paper and the roundtable will deepen your understanding and knowledge of one particular topic. Application of knowledge: The focus on the readings and their discussion in the class will strengthen your reading and critical evaluation skills of academic texts and help you to come to your own conclusions. You will therefore be much better prepared to write a well researched research paper because you have developed a good understanding of the topic of the course which allows you to situate your paper within the broader discussion making it easer to research, focus and write. Lastly, the summaries force you to get organized with your readings keep in mind that e- books are accessible only to a small number of students at a time, it is therefore advisable to download well ahead of the weekly deadline. Communication: The roundtable contribution will allow you to explain your approach/understanding to the class as a whole and will force you to express yourself in a coherent and clear way, which is not always possible in a discussion. This prepares you for similar situations where you may have to talk in front of a larger group. Structure of the Course 1 Introduction Forced or refugee migration 2 Theory and History of international migration 7 Refugee flows 3 Definitions and Themes in Migration Studies 8 UNHCR (non)regime/r2p Resolution ( humanitarian intervention ) Labour or voluntary migration Migrant Internationalism 4 Escape from economic insecurity 9 Diaspora politics 5 Regulating Labour migration internationally 10 Transnational social spaces 6 Migration and the state 11 Migrant Activism activism for migrants 12 Conclusion: Liberalism and migration controls 2

3 Evaluation Criteria and Explanations of the Assessment Students with disabilities or special needs are advised to contact Laurier s Accessible Learning Centre to obtain accommodation. Visit for information regarding its services and resources. Students are encouraged to review the current Academic Calendar (see page.php?grp_id=1365&p=5123 ) for information regarding all services available on campus. If you require accommodation please provide me with a letter/ from the Centre. No letter/ no accommodation. Research Paper Content: The paper has to be 12 pages long (double spaced) including title page and list of references. Only topics discussed in the class are possible and I expect that you make good use of the course readings. In other words, your paper needs to build on the course discussion and readings and go beyond it by providing more depth. Two students can decide to write the paper together but it needs to be discussed with the course director after the roundtable presentation. Citation style: author date method; APA. Please provide page numbers for each specific point raised in your text. Format: please make sure to have subtitles in your paper. My most favourite book on how to write a paper is Making sense. A student s guide to research and writing by Margot Northey, Lorne Tepperman and Patrizia Albanese. They have a good discussion on the question of references. Evaluation: Written work will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria: Knowledge: does the writing reflect an understanding of the topic at hand (based on the discussion in the course and your own further reading)? Does your own research validate or invalidate the course discussion/texts? Does it display theoretical awareness? Application: is the student able to apply insights to a specific case or to a specific theoretical perspective. Communication: is the student able to communicate his or her insights well to an academic audience is it coherent, interesting to read? Format: does the student cite and reference properly and is the quality of the literature high (academic journals rather than Wikipedia entries). Is all the necessary information given? (title page). Is the paper on time (one half grade will be deducted for each day late starting with paper submitted after 16 pm on the due date (A+- > A). These criteria are based on the discussion of undergraduate degree learning outcomes developed by Ontario Universities undergraduate- degree- level- expectations Summaries (one page single- spaced per text; all numbered readings have to be summarized) A good class depends in part on well- prepared and motivated students. This means that students have understood key arguments from the readings and have developed follow up questions for these readings. In order to get there, you need to have done the reading and in order to motivate you to do so, I ask you to summarize the weekly readings for the first six weeks beginning in week two (week 2-7). As you can see, doing the readings for this class is really important. Students who want to demonstrate that they have done the remaining readings can continue handing in summaries for the remaining weeks. If you have summarized all the readings for week 2-10 you will receive an A+ for participation fewer summaries will increase your participation incrementally. What is a summary? A summary of a text follows the logic of the text and condenses the information and argumentation presented. The summary translates a text of another person in your own words. In other words, it is up to you to understand the question, argument and conclusion of the author of the text and to present it in your own words without critical evaluation on your part. It is simply a question of condensing the key points of a text but at the same time your text should be autonomous - that is display a certain degree of sovereignty over the text. Your summary should allow us to understand the key points of the text without having to refer back to the original. A summary should be short (2 pages per text, double spaced), it should be coherent and structured, and it should highlight the key points such as the thesis, the question, the argument and the conclusion of the text. It should include the bibliographical reference at the end but 3

4 introduce the text in the beginning. Please make sure to reproduce the structure of the text. NOTE: be sure to display the week and the date at the top of the page prominently so that it is easy to see. Remember, you need to summarize the numbered readings, not the additional readings. Participation/Contribution This grade assesses your contribution to the class in terms of content and form. One key aspect is whether you ask interesting questions or bring in good comments based on your reading of the texts. This grade also assesses your professionalism as a student towards your colleagues in the class and towards the professor. Members of your group will assess your participation in the group (in the last week). They will be asked three questions: On a scale of 1-10 did student x contribute to the discussion in terms of content through contributions or questions. On a scale of 1-10 did student x contribute in terms of atmosphere and functioning of the group? (this means the student did not dominate nor did the student never say anything but participation was constructive and enriching). On a scale of 1-10 rate the contribution and cooperation of student x with regard to the roundtable. 1 means no, the student did not do these things; 10 means yes, the student really did well on that score. Roundtable presentation A roundtable consists of several participants who usually do not agree on a given topic but each has developed their own take on the question of the roundtable/theme for the week based on the readings provided for the class. All students are encouraged to provide a printed one- page summary of their roundtable contribution that includes the relevant sources (single spaced if needed double spaced if possible) to the professor right before the presentation to ensure better feedback (but this is not required). Please note five to seven minutes means that you really do not give a presentation but that you are making a point that you explain and are able to explain further and defend it in the discussion. Course Tools and Learning Materials Our book for this class is: - Koser, Khalid (2007), International Migration. A very short introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press). You can buy it in the bookshop. It is a nice little book, interesting to read that covers all the three aspects of our class: migration, refugees, and migrant transnationalism (diaspora and transnational social spaces). In addition there are chapters from e- books and journal articles. As a part of your training I want you to understand how to find journal articles and books in the library. This is vital for the development of your research skills. If you have never had to find readings for a class this is going to be difficult and so I advice you to research the library webpage for video tutorials and to consult with a librarian. I will give some explanations each week for the following week as well. Only a limited number of students is able to access an e- book at the same time. It is therefore advisable to download the e- book chapters well in advance or you might find yourself without any reading. Course Webpage The course has a webpage where the syllabus is posted and where I will post your preliminary grades. 4

5 Weekly Schedule(s) This schedule is tentative and subject to change with further notice via the course web page. Please bring readings to class. Week Themes and questions Readings 1 Introduction Why the study of migration matters in a globalized world (economy) 11/ /09 Theory and History of international migration 1. Koser (2007) why migration matters, pp and migration and globalization, p Zolberg, Aristide R. (1989), 'The Next Waves: Migration Theory for a Changing World', International Migration Review, 23 (3), What is the history of international migration? - Why is it important to understand international migration processes? - Why do people migrate? Since this is the first roundtable, I suggest the contributions focus on how to explain migration (why do people migrate?). 3 25/09 Definitions and Themes in Migration Studies NOTE different structure: The summaries for this week should focus on who/what is a migrant and use the readings to answer this question. So there is only one 1,5-2 page (single spaced) summary for this week. 1. Koser (2007) who is a migrant: International Organization of Migration key terms: migration/key- migration- terms- 1.html#documented- migrant focus on those categories that explain different categories of migrants. Take note of the other categories. 3. Citizenship and Immigration Canada; on this page under immigrate you will find the different categories of migrants into Canada; read and understand. (you should be able to list them for the test) In addition: have a look at the Migration Research Centre at Laurier This page lists the professors at Laurier associated with the center. Identify their readings on this course outline. - What/who is a migrant? - Which terms should be used for which category and which terms have become controversial? Why? - Forced (political) migration vs voluntary (economic) migration can they be separated (Haiti case study in Zolberg, Aristide R., Suhrke, Astri, and Aguayo, Sergio (1989), Escape from Violence: Conflict and the Refugee Crisis in the Developing World (Oxford: Oxford University Press). 5

6 Labor Migration (voluntary migration) 4 02/ /10 Escape from economic insecurity Regulating Labour migration internationally 1. Koser irregular migration Arat- Koc, Sedef (1989), 'In the Privacy of our own Home: Foreign Domestic Workers as Solution to the Crisis in the Domestic Sphere in Canada', Studies in Political Economy, 28, (a classic for the Canadian case, the author has updated this article see arat- koc In addition See also the introduction of Koser (reading for week 2). A one page piece by Margaret Walton- Roberts, professor at WLU on skilled labour migration learning- communities- australia- and- canada- in- the- race- for- international- students/ An article which mentions Jenny Hennebry, a the director of the Laurier Migration Research Centre; eating_an_illegal_workforce.html - What is the history of international labour migration? - Which countries produce labour migrants and which countries accept labour migrants? - What are the working conditions for labour migrants? 1. Rosewarne, Stuart (2013), 'The ILO's Domestic Worker Convention (C189): Challenging the Gendered Disadvantage of Asia's Foreign domestic Workers?' Global Labour Journal, 4 (1), 1-25; Available at: 2. Overbeek, Henk (2002), 'Neoliberalism and the Regulation of Global Labour Mobility', Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 581, What is the relationship between neoliberalism and migration and its regulation? - How are working conditions regulated by international treaties e.g. under the ILO (International Labor Organization) - How effective are the international standards for migrant workers protection? 6 16/10 Migration and the state 1. Koser migration and development; p Koser migrants in society, Carter, Donald and Merrill, Heather (2007), 'Bordering Humanism: Life and Death on the Margins of Europe', Geopolitics, 12 (2),

7 - How does migration support the developmental state/process in the south? - What is the relationship between migrants and the host society? - Why and how do state in the North secure their borders against refugees and other migrants? Refugee Migration (Forced migration) 7 23/10 Refugee flows 1. Koser refugees and asylum seekers p Harold Hongju Koh (2006) The new global slave trade, in: Kate E. Tunstall, ed. Displacement, Asylum, Migration. The Oxford Amnesty lectures Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, to 263). E- book. Case studies of refugee producing states (distributed in class) - What is the history and the theory of refugee migration? - Which states produce refugees and asylum seekers? 8 30/10 UNHCR (non)regime R2P Resolution ( humanitarian intervention ) 1. Erika Feller; Volker Türk and Frances Nicholson, eds. Refugee Protection in International Law: UNHCR's Global Consultations on International Protection, pages 3-6 (Introduction). E- book. 2. Ninette Kelley and Jean- Francois Durieux. UNHCR and Current Challenges in International Refugee Protection. Refuge 22,1 (March 2004): 6(12). E- journal. In addition: - Find out about the responsibility to protect doctrine at the UN. United Nations: sibility.shtml - Have a look at the Geneva Convention - Update yourself regarding Syria - Do Western states still protect refugees under the Geneva Convention? - Is there a need to re- define what is a refugee in the light of environmental refugees? - Is humanitarian intervention now a part of the refugee protection regime? - How to deal with the current refugee crisis in Syria? Migrant transnationalism: Diaspora and Transnational Social Spaces 9 06/11 Diaspora politics 1. Nicholas Van Hear. Refugees in Diaspora: From Durable Solutions to Transnational Relations. Refuge 23.1 (Winter 2006): 9(7). E- journal. 2. Brubaker, Roger. The diaspora diaspora Ethnic and Racial Studies Vol. 28 No. 1 January 2005 pp

8 - What are diasporas? - What type of diasporas exist? - What is the impact of a diaspora and its politics on the host state? - What are the implications for global politics of diasporas (e.g for the notion of a territorial state)? 10 13/11 Transnational social spaces 1. Lacey, Jonathan (2009), 'The Gülen Movement in Ireland: Civil Society Engagements of a Turkish Religio- cultural Movement', Turkish Studies, 10 (2), Faist, Thomas (2010), 'Towards transnational studies: world theories, transnationalisation and changing institutions', Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 36 (10), What is the difference between transnational social spaces and diaspora? - What are the implications of transnational social spaces for the territorial organization of politics? 11 20/ /11 Migrant Activism activism for migrants (internal globalization) Migration Controls and Liberalism 1. Rygiel, Kim (2011), 'Bordering solidarities: migrant activism and the politics of movement and camps at Calais', Citizenship Studies, 15 (1), Kim Rygiel is a professor in the Political Science department at WLU. 2. Pirie, Sophie (2013), 'The origins of a political trial: the sanctuary movement and political justice', Yale Journal of law and the Humanities, 2 (2), article 7 available at - How have migrants/asylum seekers responded to their situation? - How important are solidarity movements? 1. Hansen, Randall and King, Desmond (2000), 'Illiberalism and the New Politics of Asylum: Liberalism's Dark Side', Political Quarterly, 71 (4), Anderson, Christopher (2010) Restricting Rights, Losing Control: The Politics of Control over Asylum Seekers in Liberal- Democratic States - Lessons from the Canadian Case, " Canadian Journal of Political Science 43:4, pp Chris Anderson is professor in the Political Science department at WLU. - Can liberalism support migration controls? - Should we have the same liberal policy for migration as we have for capital inflows and imports of goods? Note: Discussion time will be reduced as we have the one- hour exam. The presentation group for this week will be limited to 3 students. 8

9 University Policies 1. Academic Integrity/Misconduct (cheating): Laurier is committed to a culture of integrity within and beyond the classroom. This culture values trustworthiness (i.e., honesty, integrity, reliability), fairness, caring, respect, responsibility, and citizenship. Together, we have a shared responsibility to uphold this culture in our academic and nonacademic behavior. The University has a defined policy with respect to academic misconduct. You are responsible for familiarizing yourself with this policy and the penalty guidelines, and are cautioned that in addition to failure in a course, a student may be suspended or expelled from the University for academic misconduct and the offence may appear on their transcript. The relevant policy can be found at Laurier s academic integrity website ( along with resources to educate and support you in upholding a culture of integrity. Ignorance of Laurier s academic misconduct policy is not a defense. 2. Special Needs: Students with disabilities or special needs are advised to contact Laurier s Accessible Learning Centre. Visit for information regarding its services and resources. Students are encouraged to review the current Academic Calendar (see ) for information regarding all services available on campus. 3. Plagiarism: Wilfrid Laurier University uses software that can check for plagiarism. Students are asked to submit their research paper in electronic form because it will be analysed via turnitin and old-fashioned google search. 4. Policy on lateness: A penalty of one grade per day late (including weekends) will be deducted from the final assignment grade. Requests for extensions must be made in writing and presented in person. A note from a doctor must accompany such requests. After four days the paper will no longer be accepted. 5. Copyright in instructional settings: If you wish to record, photograph, or reproduce lecture material, course notes, or other materials, you must obtain the instructor s consent beforehand. If you misuse electronic devices in class you will loose the privilege to use them in the class (means you have to print out all your readings). 6. Communication: Please visit the instructor during office hours. Every effort will be made to respond to your s within 48 hours. 7. Writing Centre: Students are encouraged to review the website and use the services of the Writing Centre. Please see: 8. Missing Classes: Students are expected to attend all classes unless given permission in advance by the instructor. Students who anticipate missing a class should inform the instructor during the first two weeks of class or at least two weeks prior to the expected date of absence. 9