Module Code - Title:
MR6001
-
INTRODUCTION TO MIGRATION STUDIES
Year Last Offered:
2025/6
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
N
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
This module introduces students to migration studies and how we think about migration across a range of disciplines, including history, literature, geography, politics, medical anthropology and public health. Migration has always occurred for a variety of reasons. However, the current rise in the numbers of people moving, along with the increasingly diverse reasons for movement has implications for the migrants themselves, states, policy makers and service providers as well as for individual and communal senses of identity and belonging. Through a multi-disciplinary approach, the module therefore explores the impact of this growth in migration from a variety of perspectives both historical and current. The module will also draw attention to a range of approaches to research on migration related topics in order to help students to develop their own researcher identity.
Syllabus:
The module covers a variety of themes related to migration. It reflects the diverse aspects that come to the fore when studying the interdisciplinary topic of migration with the intention of encouraging students to think about the topics they might pursue with their own research. Themes are as follows:
1. Geographies of migration
2. Introduction to migration history
3. Approaches to migration in literature
4. Ethics of migration
5. Migration and health
6. Research design and ethical considerations
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
• Critically assess the theory behind why people move.
• Analyse migration literary texts in order to explore how themes such as migration, diaspora and exile as well as identity, displacement and loss of language are represented in migrant literature.
• Compare rival normative theories about the ethics of migration.
• Give examples of how border politics and migration regimes affect migrants' health and wellbeing.
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
• Demonstrate an appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of different disciplinary approaches to the study of migration.
• Develop a critical awareness of positionality in relation to migration research.
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
N/A
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
The module is inherently multi-disciplinary. It introduces students to the topic of migration from a variety of perspectives and is taught by academics from five different research areas. Through seminars and self-directed learning the focus is on students as active participants in their own learning. Staff will include reference to their own research as well as draw on current relevant research in their disciplines. From this diverse range of examples students are prepared to apply their learning either to their independent research or to a work placement. By delivering the module in this way students are encouraged to take a research-led approach to the themes, helped to articulate their learning both orally and in writing and taught to take an ethically responsible approach to research this, often sensitive, topic.
Research Findings Incorporated in to the Syllabus (If Relevant):
Prime Texts:
De Haas, H., Castles, S. and Miller, M.J. (2019)
The age of migration: International population movements in the modern world.
, Bloomsbury
Gold, S.J. and Nawyn, S.J. eds. (2019)
Routledge international handbook of migration studies.
, Routledge.
Scholten, P. (2022)
Introduction to Migration Studies: An Interactive Guide to the Literatures on Migration and Diversity.
, Springer Nature
Other Relevant Texts:
Ahmad, D. (2020). The Penguin Book of Migration Literature: Departures, Arrivals, Generations, Returns. Penguin. (2020)
Ahmad, D. (2020). The Penguin Book of Migration Literature: Departures, Arrivals, Generations, Returns. Penguin.
, Ahmad, D. (2020). The Penguin Book of Migration Literature: Departures, Arrivals, Generations, Returns. Penguin.
Castañeda, H. (2022)
Migration and Health: Critical Perspectives.
, Taylor & Francis.
Fine, S. & Ypi, L. (2016)
Migration in Political Theory: The Ethics of Movement and Membership.
, Oxford University Press
Manning, P. and Trimmer, T. (2020)
Migration in World History
, Routledge.
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
MAMISTTFA - MIGRATION STUDIES
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Autumn
Module Leader:
sara.hannafin@ul.ie