Unit ANTHROPOLOGY OF MIGRATION PROCESSES

Code	A006344
Location	PERUGIA
CFU	4
Teacher	Aurora Massa
Teachers	Aurora Massa
Hours	30 ore - Aurora Massa
Learning activities	Caratterizzante
Area	Formazione psico-pedagogica, antropologica e storico-filosofica
Sector	SDEA-01/A
Type of study-unit	Opzionale (Optional)
Language of instruction	English
Contents	This course aims to provide students with analytical tools and knowledge to better understand contemporary migration dynamics. After reconstructing the historical context of contemporary migrations and clarifying the specific contribution of the anthropological approach to migration studies, the course will explore several perspectives through which the complexity of these phenomena can be understood—such as the transnational perspective, the mobility paradigm, and border regimes. The course includes thematic focuses that relate migration processes to other aspects of migrants’ social lives, including family relationships, social networks, work, gender, processes of growing up and aging, desires, and expectations. Key concepts such as interculturalism, multiculturalism, and inclusion, as well as practices and policies of reception and social intervention will receive particular attention
Reference texts	Capello C., Cingolani, P., Vietti, F. Etnografia delle migrazioni, Carocci, Roma, 2023 - Dispensa disponibile su Unistudium UN TESTO A SCELTA TRA: - Biffi D. Auto-etnografia dell'accoglienza. Lavorare nei servizi per richiedenti asilo e rifugiati, Edizioni Junior, 2025 – Quagliariello C. L'isola dove non si nasce. Lampedusa tra esperienze procreative, genere e migrazioni, Unicopli, 2021 - Costantini O. Riprendersi la vita. Etnografia dell’Hotel Quattrostelle occupato tra bisogno e socialità, Ombrecorte, 2022 - Massa A. Intrecci di frontiera. CISU 2021 – Sanò G. Fabbriche di plastica. Il lavoro nell'agricoltura industriale, Ombre Corte 2018 NON FREQUENTANTI (in aggiunta ai testi sopra indicati) Riccio B. (a cura di) Antropologia e migrazioni, CISU
Educational objectives	Working with migrants or migrant families has become an increasingly common experience for social workers and social service practitioners, including in Italy. The course aims to familiarise students with key dynamics of contemporary migration processes in order to support the integration of these competencies into social work practice. Students will develop an analytical perspective aimed at critically engaging with humanitarian discourses, concepts of ethnicity and identity, forms of violence and exclusion, and the mechanisms through which social, labour, racial, and gender inequalities are produced. By the end of the course, students will have developed a culturally informed, critical, and historically grounded analytical capacity regarding migration as a key dimension of contemporary socio-political processes. They will be able to integrate the concepts and theoretical paradigms discussed in class into their own academic and professional training, enhancing their ability to work effectively in multicultural contexts. Through a critical engagement with key concepts, students will further develop their communicative skills in order to understand and discuss central dynamics of contemporary society. Students will be provided with the conceptual and methodological tools necessary to develop independent and informed judgments in relation to phenomena such as racism, migration, and forms of social and labour marginalisation.
Prerequisites	Although there are no formal prerequisites, students with no prior background in Cultural Anthropology are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the discipline through an introductory text, such as Anthropology: Why It Matters by Matthew Engelke (Introduction and Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, at least).
Teaching methods	The course will be conducted red primarily through lectures in Italian, supported by visual and photographic materials. Guest experts in the field will be invited to present and discuss their research.
Learning verification modality	Assessment is based on a final oral examination consisting of an interview with open questions aimed at verifying students’ understanding and knowledge of the topics discussed during the course and covered in the required readings. In addition to the accuracy and completeness of the responses and the clarity of presentation, the evaluation will consider students’ ability to construct arguments, make connections, and use appropriate disciplinary terminology. The duration of the examination varies depending on the course of the discussion.
Extended program	The course introduces contemporary migration processes and promotes students’ understanding of these phenomena. It explores the foundations of the anthropology of migration through the analysis of key concepts such as culture, ethnicity, nation, and borders, as well as the major historical developments of the field, from the Manchester School to transnational approaches. Drawing on ethnographic case studies from different geographical contexts, the module examines some of the main areas of inquiry within the anthropology of migration, including cultures of emigration, diasporas, labour and employment, gender and generational dynamics, religious and identity formations, racism, and processes of discrimination and exclusion. The module also introduces Italian and European reception policies, as well as the concepts of multiculturalism and interculturalism. Particular attention is devoted to key methodological issues in migration research, including travel, multi-sited ethnography, and the role of images and new technologies in anthropological knowledge production.

Code	A006345
Location	PERUGIA
CFU	4
Teacher	Aurora Massa
Teachers	Aurora Massa
Hours	26 ore - Aurora Massa
Learning activities	Caratterizzante
Area	Formazione psico-pedagogica, antropologica e storico-filosofica
Sector	SDEA-01/A
Type of study-unit	Opzionale (Optional)
Language of instruction	English
Contents	This course introduces students to the dynamics that characterize contemporary migration and to the analytical perspectives and methodologies through which cultural anthropology examines and interprets these processes. After an introductory section presenting the history, distinctive features, and major theoretical perspectives of anthropology of migration —particularly for students encountering the discipline for the first time—the course focuses on reception policies and social intervention practices from a comparative perspective, placing experiences developed in different regional and national contexts in dialogue with one another. Particular attention will be devoted to critically examining assumptions (such as the distinction between “forced” and “voluntary” migration) and analytical frameworks (including the suffering paradigm and the humanitarian system) that shape contemporary reception practices and social intervention policies.
Reference texts	Brettell, Caroline (2015) Theorizing migration in anthropology: The social construction of networks, identities, communities, and globalscapes, in Brettell & Hollifield (eds.) Migration theory:Talking across disciplines, Routledge. London Other reading material will be available on Unistudium.
Educational objectives	By the end of the course, students will be able to better understand contemporary migration processes and to describe and discuss the main anthropological approaches to the study of migration, mobility, ethnicity, and transnationalism. They will acquire the ability to apply key anthropological concepts and perspectives to the analysis of empirical cases concerning migration, citizenship, discrimination, and social inclusion, and to recognise how social inequalities related to class, gender, race, legal status, and nationality are produced and experienced in migration contexts. They will also be able to critically examine the assumptions, categories, and discourses that shape migration governance, humanitarian interventions, and reception policies, and to evaluate the implications of migration policies and social interventions from the perspective of different social actors. For students who have already attended the course "Antropologia e migrazione", this course provides enhanced English-language competence on migration-related topics. In addition, it enables the acquisition of greater historical depth and a European and global perspective on intervention policies.
Prerequisites	Although there are no formal prerequisites, students with no prior background in Cultural Anthropology are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the discipline through an introductory text, such as Anthropology: Why It Matters by Matthew Engelke (Introduction and Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, at least).
Teaching methods	The course will adopt a seminar-based format, combining lectures with student presentations and group activities. Guest experts in the field will be invited to present and discuss their research.
Learning verification modality	Assessment is based on classroom activities and a final oral examination. Attending students may replace the oral examination with the preparation and discussion of a final essay on topics agreed upon with the instructor. Evaluation of classroom activities takes into account active and informed participation in discussions, the ability to work collaboratively, contributions to group exercises, and the ability to apply critically the concepts and analytical tools discussed during the course. The written assignment is evaluated on the basis of the clarity of the argument, the ability to engage critically with the course literature and materials, the coherence of the analysis, and the quality of the final discussion. Students with disabilities and/or specific learning disabilities (SLD) are encouraged to contact the instructor to discuss appropriate accommodations and support measures.
Extended program	The course introduces the contribution of anthropological perspectives to the analysis of migration processes and multicultural societies, examining their theoretical and methodological foundations. It focuses on reception policies, border regimes between the Global South and the Global North, and the legal categorisation of migration from a comparative perspective. Through the discussion of case studies and the active participation of students, the module explores how issues such as migrant arrivals, processes of regularisation and irregularisation, access to international protection, housing and labour market inclusion, citizenship, deportation, and discrimination are managed across different national and regional contexts. This approach encourages the critical examination of assumptions (such as the distinction between “forced” and “voluntary” migration) and analytical frameworks (including the suffering paradigm and the humanitarian system) that shape contemporary reception practices and social intervention policies.