Human Development and Mobility in a Changing World
A.Y. 2022/2023
Learning objectives
The course pertains to the general area of political anthropology and to the related sub-disciplines of anthropology of migration, development and humanitarianism, as well as to studies on citizenship and political inclusion. It presents an introduction to the concept of human development in relation to global migratory dynamics, with a special focus on the relationships between low and high-income countries, on forced migration, refugees and humanitarianism. Whilst the first part of the course highlights general issues and themes related to human development, global mobility and citizenship, in a second part specific case-studies will be analysed, drawing on socio-anthropological research as well as on documentation and studies produced by international organizations (UNDP, UNHCR etc.).
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Through a combination of frontal lectures, individual/group presentations, in-class exercises, at the end of the course students should be able to:
1. Critically debate key questions on human development, migration between low- and high-income areas, development/mobility nexus and mobility/citizenship nexus, humanitarian interventions.
2. Develop the capacity for conceptual and ethical reflection on development and mobility policies, policies related to refugees and displaced people.
Ability to apply Knowledge and Understanding
3. Analyse specific case studies (country or regional assessments, development projects, humanitarian interventions, migration dynamics) from the perspective of human development.
4. Analyse data and documentation on human development and migration, specifically those produced by UN agencies.
Through a combination of frontal lectures, individual/group presentations, in-class exercises, at the end of the course students should be able to:
1. Critically debate key questions on human development, migration between low- and high-income areas, development/mobility nexus and mobility/citizenship nexus, humanitarian interventions.
2. Develop the capacity for conceptual and ethical reflection on development and mobility policies, policies related to refugees and displaced people.
Ability to apply Knowledge and Understanding
3. Analyse specific case studies (country or regional assessments, development projects, humanitarian interventions, migration dynamics) from the perspective of human development.
4. Analyse data and documentation on human development and migration, specifically those produced by UN agencies.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
The course is composed of Part 1 and Part 2 (six credits) complemented by Part 3 (9 credit course only).
Overall, it presents a reflection on the contemporary tension between mobility and borders-making, considered at the center of the current production of political identities and forms of citizenship.
Part 1. Global forms of migration and human development: It presents an introduction to the main elements and debates related to contemporary South-North migratory dynamics from the perspective of human development and of classic academic analyses;
Part 2. Understanding irregular migration and containment policies, from Africa to Europe: Through a number of case-studies, this part will analyze forms and motivations of irregular migration from Africa to Europe in anthropological and historical perspective. In the background, this section deals with dynamics related to forced displacement, refugees and undocumented migrants at the borders of Europe, analyzing the forms of containment and governance of forced displacement, with particular attention to cases of protracted crisis and the transformation of the mobility regimes over time, between asylum and irregular mobility.
Part 3. A political anthropology of borderlands and global mobility: This section will reflect on how the more marginal forms of mobility, in particular forced migration, contribute to the reformulation and questioning of contemporary forms of citizenship. The section will draw both on academic essays and participatory research activities.
Overall, it presents a reflection on the contemporary tension between mobility and borders-making, considered at the center of the current production of political identities and forms of citizenship.
Part 1. Global forms of migration and human development: It presents an introduction to the main elements and debates related to contemporary South-North migratory dynamics from the perspective of human development and of classic academic analyses;
Part 2. Understanding irregular migration and containment policies, from Africa to Europe: Through a number of case-studies, this part will analyze forms and motivations of irregular migration from Africa to Europe in anthropological and historical perspective. In the background, this section deals with dynamics related to forced displacement, refugees and undocumented migrants at the borders of Europe, analyzing the forms of containment and governance of forced displacement, with particular attention to cases of protracted crisis and the transformation of the mobility regimes over time, between asylum and irregular mobility.
Part 3. A political anthropology of borderlands and global mobility: This section will reflect on how the more marginal forms of mobility, in particular forced migration, contribute to the reformulation and questioning of contemporary forms of citizenship. The section will draw both on academic essays and participatory research activities.
Prerequisites for admission
No prior knowledge required
Teaching methods
Combination of frontal lectures, individual/group presentations, in-class exercises.
Teaching Resources
Part 1: Global forms of migration and human development
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2009, Overcoming barriers: Human mobility and development (about 100 pages + statistics - free download from UNDP website: https://hdr.undp.org/content/human-development-report-2009)
UNDP Report 2019, Scaling Fences: Voices of Irregular African Migrant to Europe
October 21, 2019 (about 50 pages + annexes - free download from UNDP website: https://www.undp.org/africa/publications/scaling-fences-voices-irregular-african-migrant-europe)
L. H. Malkki, Refugees and Exile: From "Refugee Studies" to the National Order of Things, Annual Review of Anthropology, Vol. 24 (1995), pp. 495-523 (free download).
R. Shamir, Without Borders? Notes on Globalization as a Mobility Regime, Sociological Theory, Jun., 2005, Vol. 23, No. 2 (Jun., 2005), pp. 197-217 (free download).
Part 2: Understanding irregular migration and containment policies from Africa to Europe
For attending students:
A list of essays on the topic "Irregular migration from Africa to Europe, anthropological and historical perspectives" (total about 130 pages) will be made available on the Ariel website.
For non-attending students:
M. Agier, Managing the undesirables: refugee camps and humanitarian government, Polity Press 2011 (or equivalent editions in French language: "Gérer les indésirables. Des camps de réfugiés au gouvernement humanitaire").
Part 3: A political anthropology of borderlands and global mobility
M. Agier, Borderlands: towards an anthropology of the cosmopolitan condition, Polity Press 2016.
Interested students can also refer to: L. Ciabarri, L'imbroglio mediterraneo. Le migrazioni via mare e le politiche della frontiera, Raffaello Cortina Editore, Milano, 2020.
Classroom language for the 3rd unit: according to the participants
Lectures will take place in the first semester (from September to end of November) according to this scheme: Monday and Tuesday at Scienze Politiche' classrooms, focused on Part 1 and Part 2, and, in parallel, Wednesday at Studi Umanistici's classrooms focused on Part 3 (check on UNIMI website precise dates and venues).
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2009, Overcoming barriers: Human mobility and development (about 100 pages + statistics - free download from UNDP website: https://hdr.undp.org/content/human-development-report-2009)
UNDP Report 2019, Scaling Fences: Voices of Irregular African Migrant to Europe
October 21, 2019 (about 50 pages + annexes - free download from UNDP website: https://www.undp.org/africa/publications/scaling-fences-voices-irregular-african-migrant-europe)
L. H. Malkki, Refugees and Exile: From "Refugee Studies" to the National Order of Things, Annual Review of Anthropology, Vol. 24 (1995), pp. 495-523 (free download).
R. Shamir, Without Borders? Notes on Globalization as a Mobility Regime, Sociological Theory, Jun., 2005, Vol. 23, No. 2 (Jun., 2005), pp. 197-217 (free download).
Part 2: Understanding irregular migration and containment policies from Africa to Europe
For attending students:
A list of essays on the topic "Irregular migration from Africa to Europe, anthropological and historical perspectives" (total about 130 pages) will be made available on the Ariel website.
For non-attending students:
M. Agier, Managing the undesirables: refugee camps and humanitarian government, Polity Press 2011 (or equivalent editions in French language: "Gérer les indésirables. Des camps de réfugiés au gouvernement humanitaire").
Part 3: A political anthropology of borderlands and global mobility
M. Agier, Borderlands: towards an anthropology of the cosmopolitan condition, Polity Press 2016.
Interested students can also refer to: L. Ciabarri, L'imbroglio mediterraneo. Le migrazioni via mare e le politiche della frontiera, Raffaello Cortina Editore, Milano, 2020.
Classroom language for the 3rd unit: according to the participants
Lectures will take place in the first semester (from September to end of November) according to this scheme: Monday and Tuesday at Scienze Politiche' classrooms, focused on Part 1 and Part 2, and, in parallel, Wednesday at Studi Umanistici's classrooms focused on Part 3 (check on UNIMI website precise dates and venues).
Assessment methods and Criteria
Oral exam evaluating students' knowledge of the key topics of the course, theoretical frameworks and methodologies.
M-DEA/01 - DEMOLOGY, ETHNOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Ciabarri Luca
Professor(s)
Reception:
Office hours: online (via Teams or Skype)or in presence meeting: FRIDAY, h. 09,30-12,30; for online meeting students are invited to send a Teams message to the teacher from 9,30 to 11,00; the teacher will answer indicating the time of the call
In presence meeting: via Festa del Perdono 7, dip. di filosofia, cortile ghiacciaia, I piano