Immigration in Western Societies
| Module title | Immigration in Western Societies |
|---|---|
| Module code | SOC2091 |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Alexey Bessudnov (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 30 |
|---|
Module description
Immigration has recently moved to the centre of public debate in many Western countries. In this module you will tackle key political debates relating to debates on immigration. For example, do immigrants contribute positively to national economies or do they simply take unfair advantage of welfare systems? How do immigrant children perform in schools compared to the local population? What drives public opinion about immigrants and immigration? In this course we will study how first and second generation immigrants perform in the labour markets and educational systems in the countries that attract a large number of immigrants, such as the UK, the USA, Germany and France. You will learn main theoretical approaches to the study of ethnic minorities and immigrants, as well as empirical findings from the most recent research. The module has a data analytic component and you will be required to undertake empirical analysis of survey data about immigration and ethnic minorities in R. The pre-requisites for this module are SOC1004/POL1008 (Introduction to Social Data) and SOC1041/POL1041 (Data Analysis in Social Science I). The module has a data analytic component and you will be required to undertake empirical analysis of survey data about immigration and ethnic minorities in R. The pre-requisites for this module are SOC1004/POL1008 (Introduction to Social Data) and SOC1041/POL1041 (Data Analysis in Social Science I).
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aim of this module is to introduce you to the study of ethnic minorities in Western countries based on the analysis of quantitative data, and to provide you with analytical tools required to reach evidence-based conclusions about immigrants and immigration in a comparative perspective. Knowledge of immigration in Europe and practical skills of data analysis are required in various fields, such as policy making, media, business, and the academia.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate good knowledge of main theoretical concepts and empirical findings in the study of ethnic minorities and immigrants;
- 2. correctly interpret results of quantitative studies of ethnic minorities and immigrants published in academic journals that applied some statistical techniques;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. independently conduct simple descriptive analysis of quantitative data using basic statistical concepts (means, frequency tables, some statistical graphs, etc.);
- 4. assess strengths and weaknesses of quantitative research designs in social sciences at the introductory level;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. competently communicate results of independent research in written form to the deadline;
- 6. actively participate in class discussions providing well-defined arguments;
- 7. make a structured oral presentation; and
- 8. demonstrate the ability to work independently, within a limited time frame, and without access to external sources, to complete a specified task.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics.
Six lectures provide a general discussion of major theoretical and empirical issues in the study of immigrants/ethnic minorities. We will discuss immigration in a comparative perspective, but the main focus will be on the UK.
- Brief history of immigration in the 20 th century. 'Push' and 'pull' factors affecting immigration.
- Ethnic minorities in the labour market. Discrimination.
- The second generation of immigrants in the educational system and labour market. ‘Segmented assimilation’.
- Immigrants and ethnic minorities in the political system.
- Public attitudes to immigrants and immigration.
- Immigration policy.
- Computer lab sessions introduce students to survey data analysis with R, covering the following topics:
- Measurement and data sets. Variables and observations. Measurement scales.
- Distributions. Mean, median, variance. Frequency tables.
- Data visualisation.
- Contingency tables.
- Statistical inference
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 27.5 | 122.5 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching activity | 16.5 | 6 lectures of 1.5 hours 5 group debates x 1.5 hour each |
| Scheduled learning and teaching activity | 11 | 11 x 1 hour computer lab seminars |
| Guided independent study | 33 | 11 x 3 hour course readings and assignments for seminars and lab sessions |
| Guided independent study | 89.5 | Independent reading and research for essays; writing essays |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELE test | ELE test (20 minutes) | 1-2, 4, 6 | ELE feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 40 | 20 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 40 | 1 hour | 1-2, 4-5, 8 | Written |
| Statistical assignment | 40 | 1,500 words | 3,5 | Written |
| Group presentation | 20 | 15 minutes | 1-2, 4-5, 7 | Verbal and Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | Exam (1 hour) | 1-2, 4-5, 8 | August/September period |
| Statistical assignment | Statistical assignment | 3,5 | August/September period |
| Group presentation | 1,500 word essay | 1-2, 4-5 | August/September period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Stephen Castles and Mark Miller, The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the Modern World 4th ed., Palgrave (2009).
Anthony Heath and Sin Yi Cheung (Eds.), Unequal Chances: Ethnic Minorities in Western Labour Markets, Oxford University Press (2007).
Anthony Messina, The Logics and Politics of Post-WWII Migration to Western Europe, Cambridge University Press (2007).
Alejandro Portes and Ruben Rimbaud, Immigrant America: A Portrait, 3rd ed., University of California Press (2006).
George Borjas, Immigration Economics, Harvard University Press (2014).
Students will be provided with a list of required readings for group debates.
http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
European Social Survey <http://www.europeansocialsurvey.org>
Programme for International Student Assessment <http://www.oecd.org/pisa/>
The Migration Observatory <http://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk>
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | SOC1004/POL1008 and SOC1041/POL1041 |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 28/01/2014 |
| Last revision date | 13/12/2016 |
