Geography of Migrations

Code:

GEOGR089

Acronym:

GM

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Geography

Instance: 2024/2025 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Geography
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Geography

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
GEOGR	42	study plan	2	-	6	41	162
			3

Teaching language

Portuguese and english
Obs.: Obs.: Caso haja estudantes internacionais que não falem ou escrevam Português, as aulas serão lecionadas em inglês e os estudantes serão incentivados a fazer as suas intervenções em inglês

Objectives

Geography of Migration is an optional Curricular Unit (UC) of the Bachelor in Geography and it is targeted for students who show particular interest in the topic, taking into account the relevance of Geography in Migration. The learning outcomes of the UC are centred on the knowledge of basic concepts, theories and typologies, as well as on the development of critical thinking on migrations. The focus of the course are the main flows and routes of international migration since the end of the 19th century and its relationship with globalisation. The syllabus includes contents that have been selected to respond to these objectives. The third part of the programme should be the longest and the one with the largest number of classes and should work in the seminar system, with students selecting a specific topic to develop a short essay. This third part of the programme, where the name debate has been included, in brackets, aims at developing students' informed views on the main problems related to migration in Europe and the quest for a European immigration policy.
The Curricular Unit (UC) will require the student to do a very intense autonomous work, at the level of basic readings and consultation of the websites of organisations and institutions related to migrations, with special focus on the European Union, with the aim of ensuring accurate, updated and relevant knowledge about migrations and critical thinking skills as well as well-informed visions. The planned teaching methodologies meet these objectives, aiming at creating room for students to develop their oral communication competences, discussion and argumentation skills, with accuracy and well-informed. The elaboration of an individual assignment, on the other hand, aims to develop students' autonomy.

Learning outcomes and competences

Upon successful completion of this UC, students should:

 

- Understand the concepts and the main theories of migration.

- Know the main typologies and classifications of migrations at different scales.

- Know the main international migratory flows and routes since the end of the 19th century.

- Understand the link between international migrations and globalisation.

- Know and understand the difference between migrants and refugees.

- Develop an informed view on human rights in the context of migrations and asylum-seekers.

- Evaluate the main current challenges in Europe in terms of immigration and refugees' asylum requests.

- Critically analyse the evolution of the European Union's responses to immigrants and the state of development of an immigration policy for Europe, developing an informed view of the role of the EU.

- Understand and critically analyse the flows of mass population displacements in Africa due to political, economic and natural disasters.

- Acquire skills in the geographic analysis of migrations, in the different domains that need to work with spatial information.

- Develop prospective scenarios and studies of migration futures for the EU.

- Acquire constructive and ethical social attitudes, with special focus on intercultural communication, human rights, migration and social inclusion.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

n.a.

Program

Part I

1.1. Geography of Migration: definitions and scope.

1.2. Theories of Migration.

1.3. Migration classification and main parameters of analysis and classification.

1.4. Main typologies.

1.5. National and international migrations; migrations and globalization.

1.6. Forced migrations: repatriations, return migrants, massive displacement of populations by wars, conflicts, political disturbances or natural disasters.

1.7. Refugees and asylum seekers; migrations and human rights.

1.8. The decision to migrate: internal and external factors, push and pull factors.

1.9. The impact of migration on regions of origin and regions of destiny: positive and negative impacts, attitudes and perceptions.

 

Part II

2.1. Main migratory flows and routes since the end of the 19th century.

2.2. From Europe to America at the end of the 19th century

2.3. The flight of Jews from Germany to other countries and to the USA before World War II

2.4. Return of populations from former colonies in Africa to Europe (France, Portugal)

2.5. Massive displacements in Africa due to political, economic and natural causes.

2.6.Migrations caused by conflicts in the Middle East: the case of Syria.

2.7. Southern Europe as a gateway for migrants and refugees: Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal

 

Part III (debate)

3.1. Europe as the main destination for migrations at the present time.

3.2. Migration into the European Union and within the European Union and its countries.

3.3. Towards an immigration policy in the European Union: the (new) Pact on Migration and Asylum.

3.4. EU-Turkey Statement 2016

3.5. International organisations and conventions.

3.6. Behaviour of the different countries.

3.7. Attitudes and perceptions, trust, cooperation and empathy.

3.8. Future scenarios.

Mandatory literature

David Bartram; Key concepts in migration. ISBN: 978-0-85702-079-6
Madalena Pires da Fonseca; Regional upgrading in southern Europe. ISBN: 978-3-319-49817-1
Madalena Pires da Fonseca; Migration, human rights and intercultural skills in higher education

Teaching methods and learning activities

Teaching and learning methods aim at student-centered learning. Hence, the front talk lectures will be very focused and reduced to a minimum for theoretical framework and objectives presentations, topics and readings recommendations, guidelines, rules for workshops or debates and with discussion opportunities. Talks, presentations will be made available and there will always be personalized coaching, in English or Portuguese.

 There will be pre assignments with readings and readings guidelines or videos to help students. This method is aligned with Project Based Learning, Research Based Learning, Problem Based Learning, Labor Market Based Learning will be applied and practical work will be developed. There will be student presentations and practical classes in the form of workshops.

The aim will be to: contribute to good teaching, study and experience conditions for students, boosting their motivation for research work; priority will be given to flexibility and the humanistic component and the development of transversal skills, through multidisciplinary integrating projects, organizing multicultural working groups as far as possible. Awareness of human rights topics will be always attempted.

Particular attention will be paid to the development of oral communication, argumentation and debate skills.

Intercultural communication will also be a tool to facilitate internationalisation at home, for students.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	15,00
Exame	50,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	35,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	3,00
Estudo autónomo	50,00
Frequência das aulas	41,00
Trabalho de investigação	30,00
Trabalho escrito	30,00
Elaboração de projeto	8,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Students will have to register 75% of attendance in classes, including presentation and discussion of the written work. At the beginning of the semester, changes may be introduced.

Calculation formula of final grade

The calculation of the student's final grade  is based on the weight of the evaluation components, respecting, in all the rest, the rules in force at FLUP. Thus, the group work dossier will have a weight of 50% (10 points) and the written Test of Multiple Answer Questions will have a weight of 50% (10 points).

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

For those that can not attend classes, there will be the possibility of a final examination (20points) and an oral examination.

Classification improvement

Students can improve their written work and submit it to a new presentation and discussion to improve the classification. For international (mobility) students who have taken a single final exam, there will be the possibility of an oral examination.