Migration, citizenship and asylum in international law
| Module title | Migration, citizenship and asylum in international law |
|---|---|
| Module code | LAWM161 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Helena Wray (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 15 |
|---|
Module description
This module will provide an in-depth understanding of the international law framework on international migration and the associated legal, political, and conceptual problems, such as, for example, the tension between state sovereignty and universal protection of human rights, or competing versions of citizenship as a legal, sociological, affective or political concept. It is topic led and will examine issues in their real-life context and the impact on them of international law. Students will have opportunities to bring their knowledge and research to the class through, for example, drafting exercises, presentation of case studies and class discussions.
The module is open to students on interdisciplinary pathways. Students who do not already have knowledge of international law will be advised on preliminary reading.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to provide you with deep understanding of aspects of the international law framework for the regulation of international migration, and its social and political context. You will learn to appreciate and analyse key legal and other materials as well as academic and policy debates and to undertake independent research at an advanced level in this area.
The module will also develop your capacity to present complex ideas and to identify, explain, analyse, and critique in writing complex factual material, legal instruments, debates, and concepts, using appropriate structure, register and language and supported by competent referencing and bibliography.
You will gain experience of working in groups to develop ideas and create outputs and in oral communication of complex ideas and materials.
An understanding of migration and international law will be useful for students entering careers in the legal profession, government, international bodies, or civil society organisations. The transferable skills will be of use in any career where the ability to process, analyse and explain complex information and to work collaboratively is important, such as finance, business leadership or project management.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the main international law instruments relevant to international migration and their relationship with each other and with national laws
- 2. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the operation and effectiveness of the relevant international law in selected areas, including human rights, nationality, refugees, migrant workers, trafficking and families, and the difficulties that arise from their interaction with national states laws and politics
- 3. Identify, explain and evaluate key issues relating to international law and migration critically and comprehensively and to apply relevant rules and theoretical concepts systematically
- 4. Carry out independent advanced research into complex legal and policy questions within the area of international migration law
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Demonstrate detailed and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of relevant legal concepts and critical awareness of their contextual/social/political implications
- 6. Identify, explain, analyse, and critique in writing complex factual material, legal instruments, and debates and concepts, using appropriate structure, register and language and supported by competent referencing and bibliography.
- 7. Integrate and assess complex information from primary and secondary legal sources comprehensively, using appropriate interpretative techniques
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 8. Manage relevant learning resources/ information/ learning strategies confidently and independently, and to develop own arguments and opinions at a very high/ professional level
- 9. Identify, retrieve and use the full range of library-based and electronic resources efficiently and autonomously
Syllabus plan
The module’s precise content may vary from year to year, but will include some of the following topics:
- The politics of state sovereignty and migration and the consequences for international law
- The main international treaty and soft law instruments
- The human rights of migrants
- Nationality, deprivation of citizenship and statelessness
- Refugees
- Migrant workers including domestic workers
- Human trafficking
- Migrants at sea
- Cross-border families
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | 135 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 15 | 10 x 1.5 hour seminars: These will be a mixture of tutor led and student led activity, including short lectures, group activities, student presentations and discussions. There will also be guidance on preparation for assessment |
| Guided Independent Study | 75 | Assigned seminar reading |
| Guided Independent Study | 20 | Research for, and writing of, formative assessment |
| Guided Independent Study | 40 | Research for, and writing of, summative assessment |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1000 words | 1-9 | Written individual feedback; generic feedback on ELE |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 100 | 2000 words | 1-9 | Written individual feedback; generic feedback on ELE |
| 0 | ||||
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay (2000 words) | Essay (2000 words) | 1-9 | Referral/Deferral period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Opeskin, B, Perruchoud, R, and Redpath-Cross, J, Foundations of International Migration Law (Cambridge University Press, latest edition)
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
There is a wide range of web resources to which students will be signposted for example:
- International Organization for Migration
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
- UN Global Compacts
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Students will be directed to relevant monographs and edited collections and to relevant journals such as:
- Ethnic and Racial Studies
- European Journal of Migration and Law
- International and Comparative Law Quarterly
- International Journal of Refugee Law
- International Migration Review
- Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies
- Journal of Immigration Nationality and Asylum Law
- Refugee Law Journal
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 30/03/2023 |
| Last revision date | 30/03/2023 |
