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International migration is not merely about the physical movement of people across borders but fundamentally about how states govern who can enter, stay, and belong. (Zoldberg, 2001) Migration thus expose states to one another and to individuals, forcing constant negotiation over borders, rights, and membership. Over the years, migration has become an increasingly central and contested policy issue for many states, where it intersects with debates about security, labor markets, identity, and social cohesion. This course provides students with a critical and interdisciplinary introduction to the politics and governance of international migration, with a particular emphasis on how migration policies are designed, implemented, and contested across different contexts. Students will examine key areas of migration policy, including irregular migration control, asylum and refugee protection, citizenship and integration frameworks, labor migration regimes, climate induced migration and gendered migration. The course also highlights how these policies are shaped by broader political and economic dynamics from globalization and climate change to the rise of populist and anti-immigrant movements and how they are experienced and negotiated by migrants themselves. Through policy oriented theoretical perspectives, empirical case studies from Europe, Turkey, SWANA,US,UK, Poland and Ukraine and grounded examples such as guest lectures and films like The Old Oak by Ken Loach, students will critically analyze whose mobility is facilitated, whose is restricted, and with what consequences. The course combines active participation, a collaborative podcast project, and a final short essay to help students develop the analytical, research, and communication skills needed to engage thoughtfully with the complex realities of contemporary migration policies. Last update: Üçok Ecem Nazlı, MSc. (24.08.2025)
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The aim of this course is to provide students with a critical and interdisciplinary understanding of how international migration is governed through policy frameworks and institutional practices. By situating migration as an inherently political and contested phenomenon, the course examines how states design, implement, and negotiate policies that shape who can move, settle, and belong. Through theoretical perspectives, empirical case studies, and policy-oriented readings, students will develop the knowledge and analytical skills needed to evaluate the political, legal, and social implications of migration governance. The course also aims to strengthen students’ research, communication, and collaborative abilities, enabling them to connect abstract debates to real-world migration challenges and contribute thoughtfully to current policy discussions.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Last update: Üçok Ecem Nazlı, MSc. (24.08.2025)
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1. Class Participation and Film Reflection Paper, Discussion (20%)
Attendance: I will keep an attendance list each week. Students can miss a maximum of two classes (with prior notice) without penalty; further absences will reduce the participation grade. Engagement: Active participation in both small-group and whole-class discussions, demonstrating engagement with the readings and peers’ ideas. Film Reflection Paper: Submission of a one-page paper connecting The Old Oak to course themes and discussions, due one day before the Week 10 lecture.
2. Migration Policy Podcast Project (50%)
Project Title: “Migration Policy Stories: A Student Podcast Series” Project Description: Throughout the semester, students will work in small groups to create a podcast episode (15–20 minutes) that critically explores one core topic of the course (e.g., forced migration, irregular migration, gendered migration, local integration policies). The podcast will draw on students’ individual research and interviews and provide a comparative and analytical discussion based on course readings, statistics, and real-life stories of migrants.
Learning Objectives:
Project Timeline & Assessment (Total: 50 pts) Group Milestones (25 pts):
Individual Components (25 pts)
Podcast Themes (Suggestions based on syllabus):
Final Output Must Include:
3. Final Essay (30%) Description: To complete the course, students will write a short, critical essay (2,000 words) on a topic related to the themes covered in class. The essay should demonstrate understanding of core course concepts, engage with at least two assigned readings, and include one relevant policy example or case study. Purpose: This essay is an opportunity for students to consolidate what they have learned, reflect on key debates, and apply theoretical insights to a real-world issue. Suggestions:
Grading: 100-91: A (Excellent)
81-90: B (Very Good)
71-80: C (Good) 61-70: D (Satisfactory) 51-60: E (Sufficient) 50-0: F (Fail)
Grading of Final Essay: %30 of total grade
Paper structure/logical and well-reasoned argumentations: 10 Relevant information on your researched topic: 10 Knowledge of theoretical literature on topic researched: 10 Professional terminology: 5 Grammatical correctness and academic style: 5
Final essay deadline: TBA. Last update: Üçok Ecem Nazlı, MSc. (11.09.2025)
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Artificial Intelligence Policy Students may use generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, etc.) under the following conditions. Their use is permitted exclusively for tasks such as proofreading, translation, or locating sources. The use of generative AI for producing original text is strictly prohibited. Any use of AI tools must be explicitly acknowledged in the final work, in line with academic integrity standards. If you make use of generative AI at any stage in the preparation of your essay, you must include a brief note at the end of your work (e.g., in a footnote or concluding paragraph) stating: “I used generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) for the following purposes: […]. All ideas, writing, and arguments presented are my own.” Violations of these rules may result in grade reduction or course failure. These measures are intended to uphold fairness, ensure the protection of student privacy, and safeguard the educational objectives of the course. The same sanctions apply in cases of plagiarism. Last update: Üçok Ecem Nazlı, MSc. (18.09.2025)
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Lecture 1:
In the first session, we will hold an interactive workshop to share and discuss our personal perspectives on migration, along with an introduction to the course literature and the syllabus.
Good sources for basic migration statistics: ·Migration Policy Institute -https://www.migrationpolicy.org/ ·International Organization for Migration (UN) -https://www.iom.int/ ·UN Population Division -https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/content/international-migration-and-sustainable-development · Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) - https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/policy-issues/migration.html
Lecture 2: Policies regulating migration
This lecture provides an overview of key migration policy areas including admission, integration, citizenship, irregular migration, return and expulsion policies, diaspora engagement, and governance structures and examines how these domains intersect within broader migration policy frameworks.
Bloemraad, I., and R. Hamlin. 2020. “Immigration, Asylum, Integration, and Citizenship Policy.” Pp. 880-908 in The New Handbook of Political Sociology. Edited by Joya Misra, Thomas Janoski, Cedric de Leon, andStephanie Mudge. Cambridge University Press. **ONLY READ pp. 880-891.*
de Haas, H., Czaika, M., Flahaux, M.-L., Mahendra, E., Natter, K., Vezzoli, S. and Villares-Varela, M. (2019), International Migration: Trends, Determinants, and Policy Effects. Population and Development Review, 45: 885-922. https://doi.org/10.1111/padr.12291
Lecture 3: Migration, Citizenship, Borders
This lecture aims to analyze how citizenship regimes define inclusion and exclusion, understand borders as both physical and social constructs, and explore concepts such as differential inclusion and negotiated rights. Students will apply citizenship theory to case studies, critically discuss irregularity and precarious legal status, and connect border politics to broader national identity debates.
F., S. Ilcan, & K. Rygiel. (2017). “Syrian Refugees in Turkey: Pathways to Precarity, Differential Inclusion, and Negotiated Citizenship Rights”, Journal of Ethnic Migration Studies, 43 (1): 41–57.
Khosravi, Shahram. The ‘illegal’ traveller: an auto-ethnography of borders: THE ‘ILLEGAL’ TRAVELLER. Online. Social anthropology. 2007, roč. 15, č. 3, s. 321-334. ISSN 0964-0282. Dostupné z: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0964-0282.2007.00019.x. [cit. 2025-07-07].
Bastaki, J. (2020). The meanings of citizenship between resettlement and return: the case of displaced palestinians. Citizenship Studies, 24(2), 154–175. https://doi.org/10.1080/13621025.2020.1720605 Lecture 4: Globalization and Migration
This lecture aims to examine the relationship between migration and globalization; analyze migration as both a driver and a consequence of global inequalities; critically assess global governance frameworks; and use comparative examples to illustrate these structural dynamics.
Adam Hanieh. “The Contradictions of Global Migration.” Socialist Register. Vol 55 (2019): Pgs. 50 – 73. Douglass, M., & Roberts, G. S. (2015). Japan and global migration: Foreign workers and the advent of a multicultural society. Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203976470
Lecture 5: Forced Migration: Refugees and Asylum seekers
This lecture aims to examine legal and institutional frameworks for refugee protection and explore how crises shape policy responses and political discourse. Students will compare historical and contemporary refugee regimes, analyze EU asylum policy in times of crisis, and reflect on the lived experience of displacement.
Niemann, A., & Zaun, N. (2018). “EU Refugee Policies and Politics in Times of Crisis: Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives.” Journal of Common Market Studies 56(1): 3-22.
Mikheieva, O., Sereda, V., & Kuzemska, L. (2023). Forced displacement of Ukrainians during the war: Patterns of internal and external migration (2014–2022). Russia’s imperial endeavor and its geopolitical consequences, 199-228
Robson L. Refugees and the case for International Authority in The Middle East: The League Of Nations And The United Nations Relief And Works Agency For Palestinian Refugees In the Near East Compared. International Journal of Middle East Studies. 2017;49(4):625-644. doi:10.1017/S0020743817000629
Lecture 6: Climate Migration (Guest Lecturer (November 5, Online) – Alessia Signorelli (GSCC) - Readings (TBA) (November 5)
This lecture aims to introduce the concept of climate-induced migration, discuss how environmental factors interact with socio-economic vulnerabilities, and reflect on current policy responses and gaps. Students will identify examples of climate migration and policy approaches, critically reflect on the politics of responsibility and protection, and formulate thoughtful questions for guest lecturer.
Kartiki, K. (2011). Climate change and migration: a case study from rural Bangladesh. Gender and Development, 19(1), 23–38. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41305970
Lecture 7: Labour Migration and Guest workers (November 12)
This lecture aims to trace the history and politics of guest worker programs, discuss the relationship between labor market needs and migrant precarity, and analyze migrant labor through the lens of social inclusion and exclusion. Students will compare guest worker systems in Western Europe and beyond, use case studies such as Polish and Turkish labor migrants for analysis, and assess policy impacts on integration and social cohesion.
Castles, S. (1986). The Guest-Worker in Western Europe — An Obituary. International Migration Review, 20(4), 761-778. https://doi.org/10.1177/019791838602000402 (Original work published 1986)
Kris Van Heuckelom. (2013). Londoners and Outlanders: Polish Labour Migration through the European Lens. The Slavonic and East European Review, 91(2), 210–234. https://doi.org/10.5699/slaveasteurorev2.91.2.0210
Miller, J. A. (2024). A history of Turkish guest workers in Germany. In A. Arkilic & B. Senay (Eds.), Routledge handbook of Turkey's diasporas (1st ed., p. 13). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003269021
Lecture 8: Movie Week- Reflection Paper (The Old Oak- Ken Loach) (November 19)
This week, students will watch The Old Oak (Ken Loach) independently and reflect on how the film’s themes connect to our discussions on migration, community, and belonging.Students will practice connecting visual storytelling to theoretical concepts and real-world policy debates, and will demonstrate this through a one-page reflection paper that critically links the film to course themes.
Lecture 9: Highly Skilled Migration (Brain Drain) This lecture aims to define the concepts of brain drain, brain gain, and brain circulation; explore how states compete for and govern highly skilled migration; and analyze the implications of talent mobility for both sending and receiving countries. Students will interpret migration trends using policy reports and data, critically assess the tensions between mobility and development, and engage with empirical evidence and scenario-based debates.
Kaya, A. (2018). Highly Skilled Migration between the EU and Turkey: Drivers and Scenarios. FEUTURE Horizon 2020 Working Paper Series. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264257290-EN
Issac, A. L., & Tripathi, S. (2024). Migration and brain drain: Balancing human capital gains and losses in the Global South. In Polycrisis and economic development in the Global South (1st ed., pp. 19). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781032694337
Lecture 10: Gendered Migration Policies
This lecture aims to examine how migration regimes are gendered and racialized, and explore feminist critiques of migration governance. Students will apply intersectional analysis to policy debates, use examples from different case studies to discuss gender and migration, and reflect on the connections between gender, identity, labor, and mobility.
Hess, S. (2012). How gendered is the European migration regime? A feminist analysis of the anti-trafficking apparatus. Ethnologia Europaea, 42(2), 50–63. https://doi.org/10.16995/ee.1097
Gökarıksel, B. (2025) Convergent exclusionary politics of gender and migration in Trump's re-election campaign, 2024–2025. The Geographical Journal, 00, e70021. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/geoj.70021
Christou, A., & Kofman, E. (2022). “Gendering Asylum”. In Gender and Migration (pp. 77-93). Springer, Cham.
Lecture 11: Politics of Migration, the Rise of Populism and Anti-Immigrant Sentiment:
This lecture aims to analyze how migration is politicized by populist and far-right movements, explore narratives of crisis, security, and national identity, and compare examples such as Brexit and Trump’s migration policies. Students will critically assess political discourse and policy framing, connect populism to changes in migration governance, and develop comparative insights.
Klein, Ofra. "Anti-immigrant rhetoric of populist radical right leaders on social media platforms" Communications, vol. 49, no. 3, 2024, pp. 400-420. https://doi.org/10.1515/commun-2023-0113
O'Donnell, M. (2024), "Brexit, Immigration and the Rwanda Clash; Trump 2016 to 2024: The Nationalist Turn", Crises and Popular Dissent, Second Edition, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 77-10
Lecture 12: Migration Policy Podcast Project presentations: This final session aims to showcase students’ podcast projects and reflections, and discuss future directions for migration policy debates. Students will present their research findings clearly and critically, engage in peer feedback and comparative discussion, and reflect on the broader policy implications and ethical dimensions of migration governance. Last update: Üçok Ecem Nazlı, MSc. (26.10.2025)
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