Class Migrations, Identities and Multiculturalism

International population movements habe been a constant feature throughout History. However, over the past decades, the increase in the number and violence of conflicts, the lack of economic opportunities , especiallly among the youth, and income disparities between countries, as well as the acceleratin in the circulation of people and ideas have contributed to rising mifration flows, both within and between continents. In this context, it is important to understand the main drivers of these flows, and how they impact origin, transit and destination countries. Moreover, in Western and plural societies, these flows expose the connection between concepts such as culture, identity and community, which are at the centre of relevant debates on multiculturalism and citizenship. 

This course aims to introduce the key concepts and different theoretical approaches to migratiions in the contemporary era.

1. Introducing the concept of migration: population movements across time and space 

2. The main theoretical and conceptual approaches; 

3. Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers;

4. The impacts for origin, transit and destination countries; 

5. Globalization, migration and multiculturalism; 

6. Cultural, religious and ethnic diversity in Western contemporary societies; 

Theoretical-practical classes will be organized around thematic contents, and designed to stimulate the direct involvement of students through debates. Practical classes will provide an opportunity to analyze and ellaborate case studies. 
The assessment comprises two alternative modalities: continuous assessment (AC) or assessment through examination. 

Within the scope of the assessment, students must complete written exercises (QA) where they are expected to apply the concepts learned to specific case studies. 

Betts, A. (2013). Survival Migration: Failed Governance and the Crisis of Displacement. Cornell University Press.

Cantat, C., Pécoud, A. & Thiollet, H. (2023). "Migration as Crisis." American Behavioural Scientist, 1-23. 

Castles, S., De Haas, H. & Miller, M. J. (2019). The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the Modern World. Bloomsbury Publishing. 

Kivisto, P. Incorporating Diversity: Rethinking Assimilation in a Multicultural Age, Routledge, 2016.

Massey, D. M., Arango, J., Higu, G., Kouaouci, A., Pellegrino, A. & Taylor, J. E. (2009). Worlds in Motion: Understanding International Migration at the End of the Millenium. Oxford UNiversity Press. 

Niemann, A. & Zaun, N. (2023). Introduction: EU external migration policy and EU migration governance. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 49(12), 2965-2985. 

Ruiz, M. C. and Ness, I. eds, The Oxforf Handbook of Migration Crisis, 2019.   

Zúquete, J. P. Os Identitários: O Movimento contra o Globalismo e o Islão.