KSOD 2335 - Sociology of migration

This course tackles main theoretical and empirical debates in the sociological literature on migration. In line with a view of migration studies as being organized around the main themes of ‘mobility’ and ‘settlement’, the course has two parts. In the first part, classes provide students with knowledge on patterns, trends and driving factors of contemporary human mobility and migration. In the second part, we will focus on the consequences of migration, and particularly on the multiple aspects of immigrant incorporation.

The course shall familiarize students with the most recent research on migration and invite them to open new research avenues by designing empirical protocols that potentially contribute to the field.

List of sessions

Session 1. Researching mobility and migration: Concepts, theories and sources

Readings:

De Haas, H. (2024) How Migration Really Works. New York: Basic Books, Introduction.

E. Recchi and M. Safi (eds) (2024) Handbook of Human Mobility and Migration. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, Introduction.

Session 2. The age of migration or the age of mobility? Global trends and methodological advances

Reading:

Livi Bacci, M. (2024) Is Homo Sapiens a growingly mobile species (in the very long run)?. In Handbook of Human Mobility and Migration (pp. 2-11).

Presentations:

Abel, G. J., DeWaard, J., Ha, J. T., & Almquist, Z. W. (2021) The form and evolution of international migration networks, 1990–2015. Population, Space and Place, 27(3), e2432.

Drouhot, L. G., Deutschmann, E., Zuccotti, C. V., & Zagheni, E. (2023) Computational approaches to migration and integration research: promises and challenges. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 49(2), 389-407.

Debate: Myths 1 & 22

Session 3. Migration theory reframed: A Conversation with Adrian Favell

Reading:

Favell, A. (2022). The State of Migration Theory: Challenges, Interdisciplinarity, and Critique. In C. Bretell and J. Hollifield (eds) Migration Theory (pp. 341-358). Routledge.

Presentation:

De Haas, H. (2021). A theory of migration: the aspirations-capabilities framework. Comparative migration studies, 9(1), 8.

Debate: Myth 15

Session 4. Human mobility: Macro and micro drivers

Reading:

Ichou, M. (2024) Are migrants a select population? In Handbook of Human Mobility and Migration, 34-52.

Presentations:

Polavieja, J. G., Fernández-Reino, M., & Ramos, M. (2018) Are migrants selected on motivational orientations? Selectivity patterns amongst international migrants in Europe. European Sociological Review, 34(5), 570-588.

Brzozowski, J., & Coniglio, N. (2021) International migration and the (un) happiness push: Evidence from Polish longitudinal data. International Migration Review, 55(4), 1089-1120.

Debate: Myths 3 & 6

Session 5. Borders, passports and visas

Reading:

Torpey, J. (1998) Coming and going: On the state monopolization of the legitimate “means of movement”. Sociological Theory 16(3), 239-259.

Presentations:

Recchi, E., Deutschmann, E., Gabrielli, L., & Kholmatova, N. (2021) The global visa cost divide: How and why the price for travel permits varies worldwide. Political Geography, 86, 102350.

Korte, K. (2023) “So, if you ask whether fences work: they work”—the role of border fortifications for migration control and access to asylum. Comparing Hungary and the USA. Comparative Migration Studies, 11(1), 29.

Debate: Myths 2 & 16

Session 6. Free movement in the EU: Actors and consequences

Reading:

Deutschmann, E. and Recchi, E. (2022) Europeanization via Transnational Mobility and Migration, in S. Büttner, M. Eigmüller & S. Worschech (eds) Sociology of Europeanization. Berlin: De Gruyter.

Presentations :

Caro, E., Berntsen, L., Lillie, N., & Wagner, I. (2015) Posted migration and segregation in the European construction sector. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 41(10), 1600-1620.

Trąbka, A. & Pustulka, P. (2020) Bees & butterflies: Polish migrants’ social anchoring, mobility and risks post-Brexit. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 46(13), 2664-2681.

Debate: Myths 7 & 14

Session 7. Free movement as an example of open border regimes? Rationale and policies

Reading:

Ferrera, M. & Kyriazi, A. (2024) Transnational mobility and welfare rights: are they compatible?. In Handbook of Human Mobility and Migration (pp. 257-269).

Presentations:

Österman, M., Palme, J., & Ruhs, M. (2023) Free movement versus European welfare states? Variations of the fiscal effects of EU migrants across welfare state regimes. Politics & Society.

Bruzelius, C., & Seeleib-Kaiser, M. (2023) Enforcing outsiders’ rights: seasonal agricultural workers and institutionalised exploitation in the EU. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 49(16), 4188-4205.

Debate: Myths 9 & 21

Session 8. Transnationalism: A world knit together by migrants?

Reading:

Waldinger, R. (2013) Immigrant transnationalism. Current Sociology, 61(5-6), 756-777.

Presentations:

Ciornei, I., & Østergaard-Nielsen, E. (2020) Transnational turnout. Determinants of emigrant voting in home country elections. Political Geography, 78, 102145.

Carling, J., Erdal, M. B., & Talleraas, C. (2021) Living in two countries: Transnational living as an alternative to migration. Population, Space and Place, 27(5), e2471.

Debate: Myths 19 & 20

Session 9. Emigration and socioeconomic development: Which relationship?

Reading:

de Haas, H. (2012) The migration and development pendulum: A critical view on research and policy. International Migration, 50(3), 8-25.

Presentations:

Cazachevici, A., Havranek, T., & Horvath, R. (2020) Remittances and economic growth: A meta-analysis. World Development, 134, 105021.

Lanati, M., & Thiele, R. (2024) The link between economic growth and emigration from developing countries: Does migrants' skill composition matter?. Kyklos, 77(1), 213-248.

Debate: Myths 5 & 13

Session 10. Assimilation and/or superdiversity: concepts and measurements

Reading:

Waters, M., and T. Jiménez (2005) Assessing Immigrant Assimilation: New Empirical and Theoretical Challenges. Annual Review of Sociology 31:105–25.

Presentations:

Jiménez, T. R., J. Park, and J. Pedroza (2018) The New Third Generation: Post‐1965 Immigration and the Next Chapter in the Long Story of Assimilation. International Migration Review 52(4).

Vertovec, S., Hiebert, D., Spoonley, P., & Gamlen, A. (2024) Visualizing superdiversity and “seeing” urban socio-economic complexity. Urban Geography, 45(2), 179-200.

Debate: Myths 4 & 10

Session 11. Migration and social stratification

Reading:

Safi, M. (2024). Have migrants become a distinct category in social stratification research?. In Handbook of Human Mobility and Migration (pp. 12-33).

Presentations:

Villarreal, A. and Tamborini, C.R. (2018) Immigrants’ Economic Assimilation: Evidence from Longitudinal Earnings Records. American Sociological Review 83(4):686–715

Piccitto, G., Avola, M., & Panichella, N. (2024) Migration, social stratification, and labor market attainment: An analysis of the ethnic penalty in 12 Western European countries. International Journal of Comparative Sociology, 00207152241246166.

Debate: Myths 8 & 11

Session 12. Public attitudes toward immigrants and migration policies

Reading:

Dennison, J., & Vrânceanu, A. (2024) Public opinion on immigration: is it converging globally or regionally?. In Handbook of Human Mobility and Migration (pp. 182-201).

Presentations:

Dennison, J. & Geddes, A. (2021) Thinking globally about attitudes to immigration: Concerns about social conflict, economic competition and cultural threat. The Political Quarterly, 92(3), 541-551.

Flores, R. D. (2018) Can elites shape public attitudes toward immigrants?: Evidence from the 2016 US presidential election. Social Forces, 96(4), 1649-1690.

Debate: Myths 17 & 18

Attendance is compulsory. Each student is expected to present two research papers during the course. Each student is also asked to chair the ‘myths’ debate at least once. Students’ presentations are graded by their peers based on three subgrades (communication effectiveness, argumentative clarity and reactivity to the Q&A). Each presentation grade is worth 15% of the final grade; 10% is assigned by the teacher on the basis of overall class participation; 60% is based on a final paper. This paper shall be 2000 words long (+/- 100 words, references excluded), in the form of a research article. Guidelines on writing the paper will be provided during the course

Each class is organized in four parts as follows. Students are required to do the compulsory weekly reading, which recaps the earlier session, and discuss it at the beginning of class (15 minutes). A weekly lecture follows (40 minutes). This is complemented by student presentations of two recent research papers related to the topic of the day (30 minutes). The session is concluded with a debate on two ‘migration myths’ (30 minutes).