Course Descriptions

1036.4009.01 Migration and Civil Society Workshop  
​Prof. Adriana Kemp

This course takes place during the first and second semesters. The first semester is classroom-based, and the second semester is comprised of an internship. In the first semester students are equipped with the theoretical foundations which prepare them for conducting fieldwork.

1036.4020.01 Introduction to transnational studies
Dates: 25.02.2018 - 28.02.2018, 1pm -6pm
Room to be announced
Dr. Christian Ulbricht (christian.ulbricht@uni-bielefeld.de)

This one week seminar will focus on the meaning of transnationalism in a world of migration. With no sign that international migration is slowing down, the causes and consequences of migration will be a critical topic for the 21st century. Over the last two decades a new approach developed in the literature to understand not only migration as a cross-border phenomena but also how we conceive national societies as social spaces. The assessment that nation-state and society normally converge has waned. Instead, we are looking for new perspectives to think about the connections between “here” and “there.” In this respect, the literature on immigrant transnationalism is one of the academic success stories. Observing that migration produces a variety of connections spanning “home” and “host” societies, as well as linkages among migrants criss-crossing the globe, today’s scholarship emphasizes the limits of assimilation, contending instead that a transnational pattern offers the key to understanding the contemporary immigrant phenomenon. In this “boot camp” called “introduction to transnational studies” you will learn in 5 days why the migration research community devotes massive attention to continuously cross border interaction. Though this class is demanding, it is also rewarding. I expect you to devote considerable time and energy to the course. Those unable to make the commitment should not enroll. In return, I will share my passion for transnational studies and help you gain a deeper understanding of migration and how to do and evaluate social science research.

The course is structured along the following four key themes:
Day 1: Introduction to the theme: Why studying transnationalism?
Day 2: Key concepts: Transnationalism, transnational social spaces, transnationality
Day 3: Economic, political and social transnationalism
​Day 4: Criticism, developments and state of the art