Geography of Migrations and the Third Sector

The course aims to illustrate the role played by civil society in Europe and Italy in the management of today's international migrations, in light of their most important geographical aspects. The first module will cover the essential features of today's international migrations, particularly in Europe and Italy (causes and extent of the phenomenon, origins and destinations, demographic, social and professional composition). The focus will be on certain issues of political geography and geopolitics that have an impact on migration flows: maritime and land borders, and how migrants and asylum-seekers can legally or illegally cross them; Search and Rescue (SAR) regions and the connected conflicts of competence between destination countries responsible for them; the European Union's legislation on the obligations of EU Member States in this regard, including the Dublin Treaty and the resulting conflicts of jurisdiction between countries. The second module will examine how and where NGOs contribute to the management of refugees and asylums-seekers. Moreover, lectures will focus on the main fields of intervention for voluntary associations working on the social inclusion of political and economic migrants. Students will develop critical and independent thinking skills with regard to the national and international scenarios examined in class, thanks to the methodological and theoretical tools provided during the course, the analysis of the geographical and historical background of specific cases, and the use of data and sources. Lectures and the final exam, which has no written part, encourage oral interactions with the professor, with a view not only to test students on the above-mentioned topics, but also to train their communication and learning skills.

By attending lectures and studying from the compulsory reading materials for the end-of-course exam, students become familiar with geographical, economic, political and social phenomena that have a strong impact on how national governments and civil society manage migration flows. Moreover, students learn how different geographical areas can absorb, resist to or even change global trends in the management of migration flows. In practical terms, students will be able to analyse tangible features of the landscape to determine which social, economic and political phenomena produced them. They will develop independent thinking skills by examining the most controversial topics debated in the academic circles (the subtle difference between political and economic migration, the concept of "legal stay" and the subsequent condition of illegality, the reception of migrants, expulsions, integration, assimilation, xenophobia etc.). Thanks to this introduction to the fundamental terms and concepts of human geography, students will hone their communication skills and their ability to learn from the course materials, including written texts, maps and audiovisual resources.