Securitisation of Migration
| Module title | Securitisation of Migration |
|---|---|
| Module code | POL3300 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Gabriela Patricia Garcia Garcia (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 | 11 |
Module description
Attributing migrants and refugees as security threats has become a common political response across ‘Global North’ and ‘South’. Securitisation takes different forms, from media images of refugee ‘crises’ to pushbacks at sea, detention policies, and building walls.
But what is the ‘Securitisation of Migration’? Who participates in this process? What are the consequences for refugees and migrants? Can securitisation be contained? This module will provide you with the tools to answer these questions through traditional and critical readings to Securitisation Theory. It will also analyse Securitisation’s racialised, colonial, and gendered implications in North America, the EU, the Middle East, Latin America, and Southern Africa. The module is assessed through a research essay and a student-led seminar (presentation).
No pre-requisite modules are required to take this module and it is suitable for any student with aptitude for social science.
Module aims - intentions of the module
Whilst topics covered may vary year on year, this module will include some or all of the following:
- Introduce you to a wide array of scholarship across Security Studies, Forced Migration Studies, and the Politics of Migration.
- Introduce you to key theoretical and conceptual approaches to the analysis of the securitisation of migration.
- Apply these approaches to the analysis of contemporary examples of the securitisation of migration across the ‘Global North’ and ‘Global South’, with an emphasis on the latter.
- Elicit analysis of the effectiveness of migration policy in securitisation contexts.
- Allow you to develop your own rigorous and independent research-led analysis of case studies.
- Provide you with an interactive and dynamic learning environment.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Identify main arguments about the securitisation of migration across the fields of Security Studies, Forced Migration Studies and Politics of Migration.
- 2. Apply different theoretical perspectives to cases of securitisation of migration.
- 3. Identify and examine the contexts, processes, actors, sites, and consequences present in the securitisation of migration.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Articulate in-depth knowledge of subfields of International Relations and Politics.
- 5. Identify, apply, and critically examine primary and secondary data related to migration, refugees, security, and Politics and IR more broadly.
- 6. Apply complex theoretical approaches to real life examples.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Conduct independent and group research work, presenting a clear, coherent and critical analysis of a given political issue.
- 8. Communicate research findings and arguments to different audiences.
- 9. Collaborate with peers to discuss and evaluate theoretical approaches and empirical cases. Engage in peer-evaluation and provide constructive feedback.
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:
- Conceptual boundaries forced migration and security studies
- Traditional approaches to securitisation
- Critical approaches
- Gendered and racialised dimensions
- Sites of securitisation
- Securitising actors
- Asylum and immigration policies
- Securitisation of Migration Regional Trends
- Refugees and migrants’ agency
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | 256 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 44 | Twenty-two seminars of 2 hours each will involve small group discussion of texts and presentations. |
| Guided independent study | 200 | Reading and preparation for tutorials, including preparation of presentation |
| Guided independent study | 56 | Research and writing of essay |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay plan | 500 words | 1-6 | Written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | 0 | 20 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment | 80 | 4,000 words | 1-6 | Written |
| Presentation | 20 | 20 minutes/2,000 words | 1-9 | Verbal and written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written assignment | 80 | 4,000 words | Referral/Deferral period |
| Presentation | 20 | 20 minutes/2,000 words | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Where required, re-assessment will consist of a written essay (4000 words) which will constitute 80% of the final mark. Where a student is referred / deferred for the scheduled presentation, they will be asked to write a 2000 word assignment in its place, which will constitute 20% of the final mark.
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Agamben G. (1998) Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
- Balzacq, T., 2011. Securitization Theory: how security problems emerge and dissolve. Oxon: Routledge.
- Bigo, D., 2002. Security and immigration: Toward a critique of the governmentality of unease. Alternatives, 27(Special Issue), pp. 63-92.
- Bourbeau, P., eds., 2017. Handbook on Migration and Security. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.
- Buzan, B., Waever, O. & De Wild, J., 1998. Security: A new framework for analysis. London: Lynne Rinner.
- Gerard, A., 2014. The securitization of migration and refugee women. Oxon: Routledge.
- Gomes M.S., and Marques, R.R. 2021. Can securitization theory be saved from itself? A decolonial and feminist intervention. Security Dialogue. 52(1_suppl) pp. 78-87. doi:10.1177/09670106211027795
- Magidimisha. H., Khalema, E., Chipungu, L., and Chilimambowa, T., eds., 2017. Crisis, Identity and Migration in Post-Colonial Southern Africa. Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development. Springer.
- Huysmans, J., 2006. The Politics of insecurity: Fear, migration and asylum. New York: Routledge.
- Indra, D., M. 2008. Engendering Forced Migration: Theory and Practice. E-book, New York: Berghahn Books, https://hdl-handle-net.uoelibrary.idm.oclc.org/2027/heb08671.0001.001.
- Moyo, I., Laine, P., and Nshimbi Changwe, C., eds., 2021. Intra-Africa Migrations Reimaging Borders and Migration Management. Routledge: Routledge.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
- ELE – Faculty to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Migration Policy Institute – MPI
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/
Migration Policy Centre
https://migrationpolicycentre.eu/
Migration Policy Group
https://www.migpolgroup.com/index.php/portfolio/#mobilize
Interagency Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants (R4V)
National Center of Historic Memory Colombia (content in Spanish)
https://centrodememoriahistorica.gov.co/publicaciones/
MPC – on Latin America
https://blogs.eui.eu/migrationpolicycentre/?s=latin+america
UNHCR Global Trends
https://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends.html
IOM – Data and Research
https://www.iom.int/data-and-research
OECD Migration Policies compiled
https://www.oecd.org/migration/migration-policies.htm
Forced to Flee UNHCR Podcast
https://www.unhcr.org/forced-to-flee-podcast/
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 14/02/2023 |
| Last revision date | 13/03/2023 |
