OAMI 2175 - Race, migration, and citizenship in the contemporary Middle East and North Africa

When we think of migration, the most common images that come to our mind are that of black migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea or that of Latino migrants crossing the Mexico-US border in a clandestine manner. These dominant images and linked discourses construct migration as a “problem” coming from the “colored” Global South and heading towards the “white” Global North. In many of these dominant discourses, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is constructed as homogenously ‘Arab’, often acting as a source of South-North migration. Yet, around half of the international migrant population lives in the Global South, with the MENA region hosting around 70 percent of all migrants living in the South. For example, Emiratis make up only 11 percent of UAE’s population, with the rest of the population consisting of non-national groups like South Asians who make up around 60 percent of the population. How do MENA states and societies construct and contest ideas of citizenship and nationhood, including in its ethnic, racial, and religious meanings, in the face of this historical and contemporary im/migration? What happens to groups that do not neatly fit into the migrant-versus-citizen categories: for example, Swahili-speaking Afro-Omanis in Oman or stateless children born to Palestinian fathers and Lebanese mothers in Lebanon – a country where nationality cannot be inherited through the mother?

The course takes a sociological approach to theorize the intersections of race, migration, and citizenship in the contemporary Middle East and North Africa region. The first three sessions will provide fundamental theoretical tools to approach socio-political inequalities, focusing on race and citizenship-migrant lines. The rest of the class will be divided into two parts: First, the historical constructions of citizenship and nationhood in the Middle East and North Africa region, including in its discursive construction as ‘Arab’; and, second, the contemporary manifestations of inequalities linked to migrant and citizenship statuses, and how they overlap (or not) with racial inequalities. The course will end with a study of minority movements that contest their unequal status along racial as well as migrant-citizen lines.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• Acquisition of key concepts: im/migration, citizenship, race, socio-political inequalities and stratification
• Acquisition of methodologies: analysis of primary- and secondary-source texts (newspapers, social media comments, academic texts, policy reports, etc.)

A basic knowledge on the politics and societies in the Middle East and North Africa region is desirable but not needed.

Class format: This course follows a discussion format rather than a lecture format. This means that I will assume that everyone has done the readings for the class. During the class, we will focus on linking the readings and linked concepts together through class discussion.

The continuous evaluation will consist of three components, of which two will directly support you in working towards your final research essay

• A 750-word essay based on a reading of three recent journalistic pieces (of your choice) that pertain to migration in the MENA region. Please make sure that the articles you choose are journalistic (and not academic blogs, NGO reports, think tank analysis…) Your essay is due before Session 4. Your essay should contain the following components (each worth 5 points): 20%
• A brief summary of the articles – please tell me how are they connected?
• Describe the group/s being categorized as migrants (demographic details). What vernacular terms are being used to name them? Is there a racial element to these vernacular categorizations?
• What is the context (global or local, historical or contemporary - spatial and temporal) in which their migration is taking place?
• What factors are leading to migration? Are there multiple types of migrations?
• EXTRA: According to you, what do the assumptions about the category of ‘migrant’ in these articles say about the category of ‘citizen’?
• A 750-word essay based on a reading of three academic articles (preferably peer-reviewed) 20%. This is due before Session 7. You can pick only one article from the syllabus. Your essay should link the three readings, comparing and contrasting theories and empirical findings with each other. Under ideal circumstances, your academic articles will pertain to the migrant group/s you studied for the first essay, and will help you build towards your final essay. Your essay should contain the following components (each worth 5 points)
• A brief summary of the academic articles – please tell me how are they connected? What is the link between your ESSAY 1 and this assignment: are the migrant groups the same? Similar contexts?
• Describe the social stratification system (or social structure) in which the migrant group is located.
• What is the context (global or local – ie. Spatial; historical or contemporary – ie. temporal) in which their migration is taking place?
• What factors are leading to migration? Are there multiple types of migrations?
• Class participation 10% - Productive contributions to class discussions.

Final research project

The final research project consists of two components:

• A 10-minute class presentation (20%) during Session 10. The goal of this presentation is for you to ‘workshop’ your ideas. This should comprise of:
• migrant group/s in question (demography). Describe their position in the social stratification system (in relation to the category of citizen, for example).
• How are they racialized? In relation to the category of ‘citizen’? (give me 1-2 empirical evidences)
• Key factors leading to the migration (locally and globally)
• Key actors governing the migration (locally and globally)
• Final essay that is 3,000 words without counting bibliography (30%). The essay is due before Session 12 (final class). The goal is to be as descriptive as possible of the group and/or the country in question.

• Reading and Preparation for Class: 3 hours a week / 36 hours a semester.
• Research and Preparation for Group Work: 3 hours a week / 36 hours a semester.
• Research and Writing for Individual Assessments: 4.5 hours a week / 54 hours a semester.