Asylum and Migration in Global Politics

Overview

The politics of asylum and migration are undergoing profound changes. States are closing down many routes for asylum seekers, turning attention to security and border control concerns. Bilateral and multi-lateral relations are imbued with concerns about controlling the movement of people as states work with and respond not only to each other, but to non-governmental and international organizations. These dynamics are imbued with global power relations, with changing notions of security and with age-old questions of sovereignty, citizenship, and belonging. The dominant policy direction favours solutions that emphasize either preventative protection or repatriation, both practices of containment and conflict resolution and management. We are witnessing a decline in the traditional category of refugees, but a rise in the number of internally displaced persons. Economic deprivation and poverty continues to pair with conflict to drive migration that muddies the waters between “forced” and “voluntary” categories. Increasing incidents of human smuggling and human trafficking, and a failure in many circles to effectively distinguish between the two, are demanding new policy innovations that are linking international criminal law to diplomatic relations – and migrants are caught in the middle. Finally, emerging categories such as “environmental refugees” are challenging the current refugee regime, which remains rooted in the 1951 Convention.

This module will examine these changes in the fields of refugee and migration studies, asking questions that assess not only shifting policy and practices but also the impacts these shifts have on the lived lives of migrants themselves. We will engage these questions and the issues they raise through thoughtful and critical dialogue. We will focus on the politics of migration and citizenship as dynamic practices rather than pre-determined institutions, and ask what roles the various structures and frameworks of contemporary International Relations play in these politics. Importantly, we will also ask what role individuals play, and examine the politics of voice and agency in both shaping, contesting and resisting state practices. To tackle these issues, we will engage with both policy and theoretical literatures and illustrate conceptual and philosophical arguments through extensive use of specific case studies from different regions of the world. We will emphasize contemporary and emerging issues, but also look at the historical contexts and questions that shape the politics of migration and citizenship as they exist today.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
• Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of key literature on migration, refugee and citizenship studies
• Frame and explain global policy directions and changes in the field of migration, and the role of security and economic discourses in shaping government practices and decisions
• Explain the dynamics and shifting relations of power and resistance between states, individuals and advocacy groups in shaping migration and citizenship politics
• Engage with and assess philosophical and theoretical developments in the field, and relate them to national and international law and policies and the experiences of migrants ‘on the ground’
• Communicate their ideas on a particular case in a coherent, clear and concise manner, both orally and in written form.

Skills

This module will assist in developing students’ skills in a number of important areas. These include:

Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner
• Knowledge Development: ability to develop a strong research program that is ongoing over time and has several products
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field

Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
• Policy Analysis: ability to read and understand policy and legal documents and critically assess their foundations and consequences
• Presentational and Advocacy Skills: ability to present your ideas and arguments before a group of peers and respond to questions in a convincing fashion
• Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures and cope with stress

Organizational skills
• Preparatory Skills: always being well prepared for tutorials (e.g. required reading) and presentations.
• Time Management: effective use of study time, meeting coursework deadlines
• Independent Research: making good use of the library and the materials available

Assessment

None