BASS Philosophy and Data Analytics / Course details

This course will examine contemporary and historical features of global migration. Core elements include an engagement with multi-scalar governance, the role of 'gender', 'class' and 'race' in migration, and the power inequalities that structure the process of global migration itself. The course will revisit key historically embedded theoretical approaches to global migration, providing critiques of the formation and impact of engrained concepts in sociological, economic, and political theory. Students will be encouraged to reflexively draw on real-world examples of global migration, and to critically analyse political discourses that continue to persevere.  

This course aims to equip students with an understanding of the key concepts in global migration including the causes and consequences of migration, national and international responses to migration and the diversity of migrant flows within a global context. Students will critically evaluate the theoretical perspectives that inform the sociology of migration alongside the inter-disciplinary aspects of research and scholarship in the area of migration studies. Students will understand how and why migration has changed, the governance of migration will be explored alongside the consequences and experiences of policy. We will discuss diverse experiences of migration in global contexts, addressing some of the key issues in the discipline as well as new and emerging themes, which might include: the gendered dimensions of migration, the intersections of race and migration, and transnational connections, to explore migration’s multi-faceted social dimensions. 

At the end of the course students should be able to: 

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key concepts in migration studies, the main theoretical paradigms and the causes, consequences and impact of global migration on sending and receiving countries and on migrants themselves.  

Critically evaluate theoretical ideas and supranational and national policies relating to global migration.  

To synthesis, summarise and critically evaluate information from a range of sources including academic and grey literature in order to produce assessed coursework.    

In addition to the above objectives, students will develop and utilise skills in presentation of ideas in written work and in the use of a wide range of information resources.

Indicative curriculum content:

Amongst other topics, this course will introduce students to the global movement of people and histories of migration; key theoretical approaches in migration as well as contemporary theoretical perspectives and innovations.

In doing so, the course will cover key issues in sociological approaches to migration as well as emerging themes and issues in the discipline. This might cover, for example, the intersections of gender, migration and race; transnationalism; migratory routes, processes and journeys; and migration policies and politics. These topics are indicative and may change in keeping with contemporary developments in migration studies.  
 

Lecture material will be delivered weekly through a two hour lecture. Additionally, weekly one hour small-group tutorials will be delivered on-campus  

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key concepts informing the sociology of migration, the main theoretical paradigms, and the causes and consequences of global migration, alongside inter-disciplinary aspects of research and scholarship in the area of migration studies.  

Develop the ability to critically evaluate theoretical ideas and supranational and national policies relating to global migration.

Understand how and why migration has changed over time.

Synthesise, summarise and critically evaluate information from a range of sources including academic and grey literature on migration

Evaluate competing analytical perspectives and present effective arguments. 
 

Effectively use and engage with library and electronic resources.

Develop the capacity to read, interpret, assess and present sophisticated written evidence.

Develop critical and active reading strategies.

Independently collate, synthesise and organise material

from various sources (including library, electronic and online resources), and to critically evaluate its significance.
 

Written assignment (2,000 word essay) 100% 

All sociology courses include both formative feedback - which lets you know how you're getting on and what you could do to improve - and summative feedback - which gives you a mark for your assessed work. In this course you will receive individual written feedback on a non-assessed assignment and your coursework essay, as well as general verbal feedback throughout the course in tutorials and lectures.  

Castles, S, de Haas, H. and Miller, M.J. (2014) The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the Modern World, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan (5th edition). 

Samers, M. and Collyer, M. (2016) Migration, Abingdon: Routledge