The Politics of Migration

Catalog description

Managing migration waves is one of the big challenges of our time, one that is destined to increase in importance as climate change, conflicts, and economic inequality continue pushing people to move. This course provides an overview of cutting-edge research on the causes and consequences of migration. We will evaluate some of the common beliefs about migration using scientific studies: Is it true that most migrants are poor? Do restrictive policies discourage migration? Are immigrants good or bad for the economy? We will discuss the questions at the center of the political debate on migration and critically evaluate each argument based on scientific knowledge. Our discussions will be rooted in specific country cases (Ukraine, Syria, Bangladesh, East Africa, Pacific Islands,…), which we will use to learn about migration episodes and as a basis for a fact-based discussion.