Spring 2019

International Migrations and Politics in the Era of Globalization

Listed in: Political Science, as POSC-470

Faculty

Ruxandra Paul (Section 01)

Description

We live in an era of mobility: movement of goods, services, capital, ideas, culture, and–most importantly–people. International migrations reshape politics, markets, and societies. They generate challenges and opportunities for individuals, families, communities, businesses, political parties, governments, and international organizations. Many current political debates revolve around questions concerning transnational movement: How can states manage migratory flows, both effectively and ethically? Do international migratory flows erode sovereignty? Do they generate democratic deficit? Does migration boost economic growth, becoming a bottom-up engine of contemporary modernization that helps rural communities and developing countries? Or, on the contrary, does migration perpetuate and exacerbate domestic and global inequalities? Does it deplete human capital or does it facilitate knowledge transmission? Does diaspora participation strengthen or weaken democracy? Does transnationalism amplify or moderate nationalist tendencies?

This course examines migrations around the world, in both sending and receiving countries. We will study the impact of migration on citizenship, identity, state sovereignty, security, democracy, development, elections, and social capital. The course explores the theories and realities of international migration in this globalization era. Readings cover cases from North America, Europe, South America, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Middle East. We will compare trends to gain a full picture of human mobility, present and past. We will examine migration across space (cross-nationally) and over time, in historical perspective. The course follows the two key dimensions of migration research. We ask two sets of questions: Why do people move? and How do migrations shape the world in which we live? We examine how democracies and authoritarian regimes deal with different types of migration: e.g. voluntary and involuntary, documented and undocumented/irregular flows. The course will help you design, develop and conduct political science research.

Requisite: At least one POSC course (200 level or above). Limited to 18 students. Not open to first-year students. Spring semester. Professor Paul.

POSC 470 - L/D

Section 01
Tu 01:00 PM - 03:30 PM JOCH 202

ISBN Title Publisher Author(s) Comment Book Store Price
The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the Modern World, 5th Edition The Guilford Press; 5 edition Stephen Castles, Hein de Haas and Mark Miller Amherst Books TBD
Blurred borders : transnational migration between the Hispanic Caribbean and the United States University of North Carolina Press (2011) Jorge Duany Amherst Books TBD
Violent Borders: Refugees and the Right to Move Verso Reece Jones Amherst Books TBD
Strangers in our midst : the political philosophy of immigration Harvard University Press David Miller Amherst Books TBD
African exodus : migration and the future of Europe Haus Publishing Asfa-Wossen Asserate ; translated by Peter Lewis ; introduction by David Goodhart Amherst Books TBD

These books are available locally at Amherst Books.

Offerings

2024-25: Not offered
Other years: Offered in Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2022