PSI 2218 - On the Move

Credits: 4
The waves of migrants passing through the Balkans on their way to the heart of Europe are one manifestation of the global movement of peoples, as they flee from warzones, or simply pull up stakes and move on to new locations in the hope of better prospects. In fact, with the introduction of the EU’s Schengen zone of uninterrupted travel between European states, movement of people and goods is at an all-time high. This brings with it, however, security concerns. Who are the peoples moving across Europe’s invisible, and visible, borders, and what policies has the European Union and surrounding countries created to control this movement? This course explores the most pressing issue in Europe today. Understanding the complex dynamics behind international migration is essential to improved policies and programs to address the multiple causes and consequences of these movements of people. Doing so requires a multi-disciplinary approach that focuses on the economic, social, cultural, ethical, security, and policy ramifications of the international movements of people. This course aims to increase participants’ knowledge of EU policies on asylum and migration, and how these relate to instruments for development with third countries and different regions of the world. In parallel, the course covers the various topics of international migration, including an overview of flows and types of migrants, as well as comparative immigration, emigration and integration policies of sending and receiving countries; as well as diaspora engagement policies. The course also considers the effects of migration at the macro, meso and macro levels in various sending and receiving countries. Students learn about the size and directions of international migration, as well as the causes and motivations for migration.
Offered at the Budapest campus.
McDaniel Plan: Multicultural European