Migration and Transnationalism in Morocco

USF Code: INR 4931

Course Description:

This course explores different issues related to migration in the Moroccan context and enable students to develop a critical perspective of contemporary mobility. In order to engage intellectually with the topic, students will first be introduced to the context of migration in Morocco (including the legal framework of Moroccan migration policy) in addition to the main concepts of the course: migration, mobility, transnationalism, identity, integration, and human rights. Based on contemporary research conducted in Morocco and abroad, the second part of the course will initially address Moroccan migration (by focusing on circular migration and on gender issues); subsequently « Westerners’ » migration (with a particular focus on lifestyle and family migration); and lastly Sub-Saharan migration (by raising issues related to social perceptions, borders and humans rights). In addition to a conceptual and ethnographical understanding, the course will offer students the possibility to relate to the subjects on a more personal level through practical activities: group discussions, meetings with migrants and activists, documentaries, and a visit to an association that works with immigrants among other activities. Finally, students will have the opportunity to work on, and to present a research project related to migration to/from Morocco. 

Learning Outcomes: 

• Knowledge: students will be able to define the main concepts, to connect them to the relevant academic literature and to illustrate them through ethnographic examples.
• Comprehension: students will be capable of describing the Moroccan context of migration.  
• Analysis: students will have the opportunity to compare different migration patterns and to analyze specific issues corresponding to them.
• Application: students will implement their newly-acquired theoretical knowledge through practical activities.
• Evaluation: students will evaluate the activists’ achievements and challenges by writing fieldwork reports.
• Creating: students will synthesize the knowledge acquired in the course by conducting and writing their own research project on a topic related to migration. 

 Course Units: 

•  Part one: Introduction, context and theoretical framework 
• Part two: Migration from different perspectives 
  • South-North migration: the migration of Moroccans to the « North »  
  • North-South migration: the migration of « Westerners » to Morocco  
  • South-South migration: the migration of « Sub-Saharans » to Morocco 
• Part three: Student presentations and conclusion