6 ECTS credits
176 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 6007623FEW for working students in the 1st semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.

Semester
1st semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Possible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
English
Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
Department
Political Science
Educational team
Laura Westerveen
Ilke Adam (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
26 contact hours Lecture
150 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

This course introduces students into European diversity policies and politics. It studies EU and national responses to migration related diversity (cultural, ethnic & racial, religious), usually grouped under the banner of 'immigrant integration' and 'anti-discrimination or anti-racism' policies. The course approaches diversity governance from empirical, theoretical and critical perspectives. It combines (comparative) empirical case studies with theoretical insights on the role of institutions, ideas and interests in policy making, theories of European integration and Europeanisation.

Students will learn how and why EU Member States respond differently to diversity and engage with the theoretical foundations that lie beneath these differences. They will also analyse how and why EU cooperation on diversity issues arose, and how European diversity policies influence national policies. Moreover, students will learn to engage critically with existing policy concepts, policy categories and underlying policy assumptions.

The course will include interaction with experts working within and outside of EU institutions on the topics discussed in the course. Practitioner’s and activist views on diversity policies will add value to the empirical, theoretical and critical discussions in class.

Additional info

The syllabus consists of compulsory weekly readings and a list of additional readings. The study material further consists of the Power Point presentations by the (guest) lecturer(s) and the lecture notes taken by the students in class.

The syllabus is composed of four types of readings:

  1. Comparative case-studies on how EU Member States have approached different forms of migration related diversity. The comparative case studies were selected because they propose theoretical insights into the different state approaches towards different forms of diversity (cultural, ethnic and racial, religious). All together, the case-studies presented to the students encompass a diverse range of theoretical perspectives: historical institutionalism (path dependency), sociological institutionalism (ideology and norms), rational choice institutionalism (interests that are formatted within a particular institutional setting).
  2. Case-studies explaining when, how and why EU cooperation on diversity policies arose. These case-studies encompass theories of European Integration.
  3. Case-studies explaining how and why EU policy responses to diversity have impacted differently upon Members States. These case-studies encompass theories on EU compliance/Europeanisation.
  4. Critical reflections on dominant concepts and theories.

Additional (suggested) readings will be made available through Canvas when these are not accessible through the VUB library or online.

Except for the introductory & concluding lecture and the public events, the (3h) lectures will be organized as following:

  • The course convenor and/or guest lecturers will introduce the lecture (a power-point will be provided after the lecture).
  • Student presentations of the required and/or suggested readings.
  • Seminar: Q&A on the readings.
Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

Having completed this course, students will be able to:

  • Provide an overview of different EU and Member States approaches towards different forms of migration related diversity.
  • Analyse and explain differences and similarities between different state approaches and political positions towards diversity issues.
  • Analyse and explain the origins and impact of EU cooperation on diversity issues
  • Critically analyse diversity related policies and politics

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 60% of the final mark.
Other Exam determines 40% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Written Exam with a relative weight of 60 which comprises 60% of the final mark.

Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Presentation OR Paper with a relative weight of 20 which comprises 20% of the final mark.
  • Small Assignment with a relative weight of 20 which comprises 20% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Students are expected to actively participate in class and to have read the required readings. In the seminar, students will discuss the readings and the questions on these readings addressed by the course instructor.  

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:

  1. A written exam determines 60 % of the final mark
  2. A 10-minutes presentation in class OR a 1500-words discussion paper comprises 20% of the final mark
  3. Small assignment determines 20% of the final mark
Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of European Integration: Track 1: European Economy - Migration and Europe
Master of European Integration: Track 4: Migration and Europe - European Environmental Governance
Master of European Integration: Track 5: European External Relations and Security Policy - Migration and Europe