The module focuses firstly on populism as a societal phenomenon with the key question being the relation between populism and democracy, and secondly it will scrutinize the so-called Populist Radical Right Parties in relation to their national contexts.
Problems and Questions in Contemporary IMER Research
Freestanding course
About the course
This course offers in-depth knowledge of central issues in international migration and ethnic relations (IMER). It draws on ongoing research at the department and the expertise of the teaching researchers. The aim is both to develop an understanding of state of the art knowledge in the field and to examine how such knowledge is and can be produced. In so doing, the course consistently combines and integrates theoretical and methodological queries.
The course’s underlying pedagogical philosophy is that the generic intellectual skills of critical thinking and independent analysis are best developed in delimited thematic contexts, in which the connection between knowledge about (findings and theories) and knowledge how (methodology) are most visible and open for scrutiny. To this end, the course is focused on key problems and questions in contemporary IMER research, and benefits from the expertise and current research in the department. Apart from offering students in-depth knowledge on a selected set of subjects in the IMER field, it also develops a more profound and general understanding of what it means “to know” something and how such knowledge is produced in the social sciences.
Course content
Each module consists of one general and one specific part. The first part introduces the field, key concepts and theories, important findings and main controversies through a series of lectures and seminars with fixed content/readings. The second part consists of individual work on a more specific topic within the wider area, in which students in dialogue with the teacher(s) select and review a particular research field. The reviewed material can be either secondary or primary. Teaching in the second part is organized as a series of supervision workshops where students and teacher(s) meet and discuss selection and assessment of their respective research fields.
Every autumn two of the following modules will be available for students. The two modules will be offered in succession. Two months before the course starts the two modules will be announced. Each module consists of approximately 1,000 pages of compulsory reading plus an additional 1,000 pages or the equivalent of readings/material selected in agreement with the teacher/s.
The modules are:
- Populism and Democracy: Party Politics and Beyond
- Critical Engagement with Analytical Tools in Migration Research
- Race and Ethnicity
- Studying Migration and Im/mobility through Qualitative Research
- Norms and Values in International Migration
- Statelessness: Understanding Exclusion
Recognizing that theoretical language may be profoundly influenced by the social, historical and political context in which it is used, this module invites the students to critically engage with analytical tools currently used in migration research. Special attention is devoted to the concepts of identity, culture, diversity and integration. These concepts are discussed in connection with the relevant methodological considerations as well as with the political underpinnings of homogenization and problematization of migrant others. The module also reviews attempts to redefine the object of migration studies by reconceptualizing society and societal changes related to migration.
The emphasis in this course is on developing a general theoretical understanding of what race and ethnicity means. Through lectures, discussions and watching documentary films, theories of race and ethnicity are related to examples in order to deepen the understanding of race and ethnicity in the contemporary world.
The module focuses on how migration and mobility impact on individuals’ lives, and how to conduct research that places mobility at its core. The main focus is on the micro level and the lived experiences which are accessed through the narratives of migrants.
International migration is a field of conflicting goals and realities. This module examines the role and meaning of norms and values in this field from both empirical and normative perspectives, drawing on contemporary research and theories in political theory, anthropology and sociology.
This module will focus on the phenomenon of statelessness. It will explore how it is regulated under international law, how it is created, the consequences of being stateless for individuals and states and how it can be resolved. The existence of a large population of people around the world who do not have citizenship of any state also allows for critical engagement with a broad range of concepts (such as the nation-state, citizenship, belonging, identity, bureaucracy and inclusion/exclusion). To achieve this the module will take a highly interdisciplinary approach to exploring the many facets of statelessness.
Entry requirements and selection
Entry requirements
Bachelor degree in social sciences or humanities + the equivalent of English 6
Selection
University credits completed 100%
Course literature
Each module consists of approximately 1,000 pages of compulsory reading plus an additional 1,000 pages or the equivalent of readings/material selected in agreement with the teacher/s.
- Bale, T. & Kaltwasser, C. (eds) (2021) Riding the Populist Wave: Europe´s mainstream right in crisis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Canovan, Margaret (2005). The People. Cambridge: Polity Press.
- Norocel, Cristian, Hellström, Anders and Bak-Jørgensen, Martin (eds) (2020) Nostalgia and Hope: Intersections between Politics of Culture, Welfare, and Migration. Springer.
- Hellström, Anders (2016) Trust Us: Reproducing the nation and the Scandinavian Nationalist Populist Parties. New York/Oxford: Berghahn Books
- Jungar, Ann-Cathrine & Ravik-Jupskås, A. (eds) 2023. The Radical Right in the Nordic Region (editors: Ann-Cathrine Jungar & Anders Ravik-Jupskås). London: Routledge.
- Moffit, Benjamin (2020) Populism. Cambridge: Polity Press.
- Mouffe, Chantal (2019) For a Left Populism. London/New York: Verso Books.
- Mudde, Cas (2019) The Far Right Today. Cambridge: Polity Press.
- Mudde, Cas and Kaltwasser, R. (eds.) (2012) Populism in Europe and the Americas. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Panizza, Fransisco (2005) Populism and the mirror of democracy. London/New York: Verso.
And, approximately 600-700 pages of journal articles and media material.
- Carens, Joseph (2013) The Ethics of Immigration. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Fine, Sarah and Lea Ypi (eds.) (2016) Migration in Political Theory: The Ethics of Movement and Membership. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Miller, David (2016) Strangers in Our Midst: The Political Philosophy of Immigration. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
Additional articles and material of around 750 pages
Literature within the course module
Populism and Democracy: Party Politics and Beyond
- Bale, T. & Kaltwasser, C. (eds) (2021) Riding the Populist Wave: Europe´s mainstream right in crisis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Canovan, Margaret (2005). The People. Cambridge: Polity Press.
- Norocel, Cristian, Hellström, Anders and Bak-Jørgensen, Martin (eds) (2020) Nostalgia and Hope: Intersections between Politics of Culture, Welfare, and Migration. Springer.
- Hellström, Anders (2016) Trust Us: Reproducing the nation and the Scandinavian Nationalist Populist Parties. New York/Oxford: Berghahn Books
- Jungar, Ann-Cathrine & Ravik-Jupskås, A. (eds) 2023. The Radical Right in the Nordic Region (editors: Ann-Cathrine Jungar & Anders Ravik-Jupskås). London: Routledge.
- Moffit, Benjamin (2020) Populism. Cambridge: Polity Press.
- Mouffe, Chantal (2019) For a Left Populism. London/New York: Verso Books.
- Mudde, Cas (2019) The Far Right Today. Cambridge: Polity Press.
- Mudde, Cas and Kaltwasser, R. (eds.) (2012) Populism in Europe and the Americas. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Panizza, Fransisco (2005) Populism and the mirror of democracy. London/New York: Verso.
And, approximately 600-700 pages of journal articles and media material.
Norms and Values in International Migration
- Carens, Joseph (2013) The Ethics of Immigration. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Fine, Sarah and Lea Ypi (eds.) (2016) Migration in Political Theory: The Ethics of Movement and Membership. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Miller, David (2016) Strangers in Our Midst: The Political Philosophy of Immigration. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
Additional articles and material of around 750 pages
Course evaluation
The University provides students who participate in or who have completed a course with the opportunity to make known their experiences and viewpoints with regards to the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarize the results of course evaluations as well as informing participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures initiated in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).
