| CODE | EST2200 | ||||||
| TITLE | Contemporary Migration Issues Across the Mediterranean (History, Policy and International Law) | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | Not Applicable | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | European Studies | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | The study-unit provides students with the information and skills necessary for them to analyse and comment on migratory patterns in the Mediterranean region. Adopting a holistic approach, the study-unit surveys relevant history, policy and legal elements so as to approach Mediterranean migration from a number of varied angles. Throughout the study-unit emphasis is placed on both migration and asylum, as well as an insistence on appreciating contrasting perspectives e.g. states, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, etc. The first lectures are of an introductory nature, where key terms, concepts and statistics are defined and discussed. Having established a common understanding of the essential definitions and concepts, the study unit proceeds to provide a historical overview of the migratory experiences of the Mediterranean countries. The aim is to observe and discuss possible patterns and shifts in dynamics throughout history, contextualising the migratory flows in the broader political, economic and social perspectives. Both the northern and southern Mediterranean states are viewed, and specific country profiles are examined with a view to understanding regional similarities, differences, solutions and policy approaches. In discussing the relevant legal regime, students are exposed to the normative approach to migration. International, regional and bilateral instruments are presented to highlight the operational framework shaping state policies and actions, and to lead to a discussion on the possible competing or complementary interests underlying these legal instruments. The study-unit covers issues such as international maritime law, international human rights right, international refugee law, European Union, Council of Europe and African Union instruments, as well as a number of bilateral agreements. Having established the legal parameters, the study-unit discusses the main actors and fora in Mediterranean migration, following which students are exposed to key substantive issues such as forced migration, trafficking of persons and gender elements. Emphasis is constantly placed on the European Union dimension, and a specific lecture is dedicated to the EU’s legal and policy efforts in attempting to ‘manage’ Mediterranean migration. Most lecture presentations are made available to students via the Virtual Learning Environment, together with substantial amounts of reading materials. A number of interactive sessions are also organised as part of the study-unit content. Reading List: European Migration Network, Asylum and Migration Glossary, 2010; Caritas Italiana, Dossier Informative (MigraMed), 2010; Xavier Aragall, Border Management and Migration n the Mediterranean Region, available online; Matilde Ventrella, The Control of People Smuggling and Trafficking in the EU, Ashgate (2010). Readings are regularly provided by the lecturer on the VLE Tool. |
||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
|
||||||
| LECTURER/S | Berta Fernandez |
||||||
|
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
|||||||