Message

F1618 Contemporary Migration and Refugee Crisis

Avanza Martina

We are witnessing today a major refugee crisis and Italy is a country in the frontline. It seems then interesting and important to work with international students on this subject while they are staying in Italy. The course will first treat the question of migrations in general: Why do people migrate across international borders? Can states control migration, including “unwanted” migrants? We begin with these questions and we examine the policies that let some people in, while keeping others out. We then move to the question of forced migrations and to the “refugee crisis”.
We will try to understand this phenomenon from below by listening to migrants that have been forced from their homes by interlinked factors including persecution, armed conflict and socio-economic deprivation. We will hopefully meet a group1 that organizes face-to-face meetings between migrants and students, and we will write the story of a short number of refugees (English-speaking ones). We will interview the refugees (life-history interview) and listen to their story, draw their family-tree, prepare a map of their trip, take a photo of them (if he/she gives consent), gather data on the political and economical situation in their country of origin. The final goal is to put on a little exhibition with printed posters that tell the stories of these refugees, and eventually to open it to the public. Possibly a copy of the posters will then be given to the aid group, that could use this material for educational purposes.

 

Teaching methods:
The course will be divided in two parts:
1)    Introductive sessions: we will read fundamental texts and authors on the subject of migrations, in order to acquire the tools necessary to understand the refugee’s experience (weeks 1 to 8). Each week there will be two different kinds of sessions. The first one will be structured around the discussion of essays (essentially on anthropology, sociology, political science). The second one will be structured around the analysis of sources (such as the UN report on migration or the EU laws on migration) or around methodology issues (i.e. how to do an interview). Both kinds of session will privilege interactivity.
2)    Workshop: there will be no more traditional classes, but we will work together on our data to create the posters (weeks 9 to 12).

 

Learning outcomes of the course:
•    To gain knowledge about migration, both as theoretical phenomenon, and especially as a current political actuality.
•    To learn to read and discuss theoretical texts on the course's subject.
•    To learn to analyse first-hand material (sources) by applying the knowledge acquired during the lessons.
•    To learn to produce first-hand material (interview, family tree, map) and to analyse-it

 

 

To succeed in and enjoy this class, please make a commitment to it!

 

1 If possible, “Noi migranti della Venezia Orientale” (www.noimigranti.org)