Human Development and Mobility in a Changing World
A.Y. 2023/2024
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 trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First trimester
Course syllabus
The course is composed of Part 1 and Part 2 (six credits) complemented by Part 3 (9 credits course only).
Overall, it presents a reflection on the contemporary tensions between globalization, mobility, nation-states and border-making, considered at the core 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;
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 asylum, refugees and citizenship: this section will reflect on the theme of the voice and representation of stateless persons and refugees showing how from marginal positions it is possible to contribute to the affirmation, reformulation and questioning of contemporary forms of citizenship. The section will draw on both classic academic essays on asylum and refugees, as well as refugee voices and research materials
Overall, it presents a reflection on the contemporary tensions between globalization, mobility, nation-states and border-making, considered at the core 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;
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 asylum, refugees and citizenship: this section will reflect on the theme of the voice and representation of stateless persons and refugees showing how from marginal positions it is possible to contribute to the affirmation, reformulation and questioning of contemporary forms of citizenship. The section will draw on both classic academic essays on asylum and refugees, as well as refugee voices and research materials
Prerequisites for admission
No prior knowledge required
Teaching methods
Combination of frontal lectures, individual/group presentations, in-class discussions.
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 2020, 'Human Mobility, Shared Opportunities: A Review of the
2009 Human Development Report and the Way Ahead' (about 40 pages + tables - free download from UNDP website: https://www.undp.org/publications/human-mobility-shared-opportunities-review-2009-human-development-report-and-way-ahead#:~:text=October%2021%2C%202020&text=of%20human%20mobility.-,Human%20Mobility%2C%20Shared%20Opportunities%3A%20A%20Review%20of%20the%2…)
UNHCR Report 2023, GLOBAL TRENDS FORCED DISPLACEMENT IN 2022 (about 30 pages + tables - free download from UNHCR website: https://www.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/2023-06/global-trends-report-2022.pdf)
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)
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 from the Horn of Africa - Historical reconstructions, Mediterranean border regimes, protracted crises, Solidarity, Refugees' voices and experiences" (total about 130 pages) will be made available on the MyAriel website - (the essays are under publication for The Journal of East African Studies).
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 Asylum, Refugees and Citizenship (9 credits only)
(A) Classical essays on asylum, statelessness, citizenship, political communities
(the essays or their reference will be made available on the MyAriel website - tot. about 100 pages):
1. Hannah Arendt: We refugees, The origins of totalitarianism: ch. 9
2. Giorgio Agamben: Extracts from Means without End
3. The anthropological debate on refugees and Arendt/Agamben perspectives:
L. Malkki, The Rooting of Peoples and the Territorialization of National
Identity among Scholars and Refugees
A. Ong, Refugees and citizens (excerpts from Buddha is hiding)
M. Agier, Encampment
4. African perspectives:
H. Brankamp and P. Daley, Laborers, Migrants, Refugees. Managing Belonging, Bodies, and Mobility in (Post)Colonial Kenya and Tanzania
5. International relations perspectives:
P. Owens, Reclaiming 'Bare Life'? Against Agamben on Refugees
(B) Stateless voices, agency, resistance:
Behrouz Boochani, Moones Mansoubi, Omid Tofighian, "Freedom, Only Freedom: The Prison Writings of Behrouz Boochani", Bloomsbury Academic, 2023 [BOOK].
For all parts (1,2,3), 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 part: 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 (Via del Conservatorio), focused on Part 1 and Part 2, and, in parallel, Thursday at Studi Umanistici's classrooms (via Santa Sofia) focused on Part 3 (check on UNIMI website precise dates and venues).
For PPPA students: the 9 credits option is available only as "Free credits".
For Philosophical Sciences students: both options, 6 or 9 credits, are available. For the 6 credits option it is also possible to choose Part 2 and 3, with a few adjustments that have to be agreed upon with the Professor (via email).
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 2020, 'Human Mobility, Shared Opportunities: A Review of the
2009 Human Development Report and the Way Ahead' (about 40 pages + tables - free download from UNDP website: https://www.undp.org/publications/human-mobility-shared-opportunities-review-2009-human-development-report-and-way-ahead#:~:text=October%2021%2C%202020&text=of%20human%20mobility.-,Human%20Mobility%2C%20Shared%20Opportunities%3A%20A%20Review%20of%20the%2…)
UNHCR Report 2023, GLOBAL TRENDS FORCED DISPLACEMENT IN 2022 (about 30 pages + tables - free download from UNHCR website: https://www.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/2023-06/global-trends-report-2022.pdf)
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)
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 from the Horn of Africa - Historical reconstructions, Mediterranean border regimes, protracted crises, Solidarity, Refugees' voices and experiences" (total about 130 pages) will be made available on the MyAriel website - (the essays are under publication for The Journal of East African Studies).
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 Asylum, Refugees and Citizenship (9 credits only)
(A) Classical essays on asylum, statelessness, citizenship, political communities
(the essays or their reference will be made available on the MyAriel website - tot. about 100 pages):
1. Hannah Arendt: We refugees, The origins of totalitarianism: ch. 9
2. Giorgio Agamben: Extracts from Means without End
3. The anthropological debate on refugees and Arendt/Agamben perspectives:
L. Malkki, The Rooting of Peoples and the Territorialization of National
Identity among Scholars and Refugees
A. Ong, Refugees and citizens (excerpts from Buddha is hiding)
M. Agier, Encampment
4. African perspectives:
H. Brankamp and P. Daley, Laborers, Migrants, Refugees. Managing Belonging, Bodies, and Mobility in (Post)Colonial Kenya and Tanzania
5. International relations perspectives:
P. Owens, Reclaiming 'Bare Life'? Against Agamben on Refugees
(B) Stateless voices, agency, resistance:
Behrouz Boochani, Moones Mansoubi, Omid Tofighian, "Freedom, Only Freedom: The Prison Writings of Behrouz Boochani", Bloomsbury Academic, 2023 [BOOK].
For all parts (1,2,3), 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 part: 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 (Via del Conservatorio), focused on Part 1 and Part 2, and, in parallel, Thursday at Studi Umanistici's classrooms (via Santa Sofia) focused on Part 3 (check on UNIMI website precise dates and venues).
For PPPA students: the 9 credits option is available only as "Free credits".
For Philosophical Sciences students: both options, 6 or 9 credits, are available. For the 6 credits option it is also possible to choose Part 2 and 3, with a few adjustments that have to be agreed upon with the Professor (via email).
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: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Ciabarri Luca
Educational website(s)
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 Noto 8, Fifth Floor.