Migration, Transnationalism and the City
SOC 585
B. Nadya Jaworsky (jaworsky@fss.muni.cz)
&
Radka Klvaňová (klvanova@fss.muni.cz)
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Who are you?
•Name
•Where are you from (born/raised/studied)?
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•What’s the last book you have read?
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•What’s your favorite type of music?
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•What do you like best about Brno?
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•What was your summer highlight?
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Conditions for Passing the Course:
•Regular attendance and active participation in seminar discussions
•Systematic work on short (1-2 page) discussion papers
•Group projects in class
•Peer-to-peer feedback on essay draft
•Final Essay

COURSEWORK will be evaluated as follows:
•Participation in class-discussions, group projects (25%)
–5 points for each class
•Home Assignments (25%)
–5 points for each home assignment (discussion papers and peer-to-peer feedback)
•Final paper (3,000 – 4,000 words) (50%)
–10% for the draft and 40% for the final version

Evaluation is based upon this scale:
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•90-100 points - A
•80-89 points - B
•70-79 points - C
•66-69 points - D
•60-65 points - E
•0-59 points - F

•Study Materials and Instructions:
•For each session, readings are specified in the syllabus. All the required texts are available in
electronic form in the IS Study Materials folder and are linked to the Interactive Syllabus.
•Instructions for group projects will be specified in class.
•Instructions for the assignments will be available in the Study Materials.
•Please, check the Interactive Syllabus regularly for actual readings and study instructions.

Participation Rubric
•4-5 points (A/B)
•Regularly contributes good, thoughtful questions and ideas
•Listens respectfully—does not interrupt or sidetrack
•Works on task within groups—a leader by example and a model for others
•Student is almost always prepared for class with assignments read
•2-3 points (C/D)
•Contributes occasionally to class discussion and works well during group work
•Listens respectfully—does not interrupt or sidetrack
•Usually prepared with assignments read/class materials at hand
•Could contribute more
•1 point (E)
• Rarely contributes to discussions and group work or detracts with interruptions, side comments,
and is often not focused
•Student is almost never prepared for class
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Discussion Papers
•They should be a minimum of 300 words in length. •They are due by Sunday 23:59, but don’t hesitate
to send your paper even if it is late. •These writings can be quite informal, but thoughtless or
cursory thought pieces will not receive credit. They must be in your own words, and must respond to
the readings. •They must also include at least one, but preferably several, discussion questions.

Discussion Papers
•The writings must include:
–The main argument of each text, preferably summarized in 2-3 sentences at most
–At least one, but preferably several, discussion questions, which you can present in class to
guide our joint exploration of the topic(s) for the session. It must be a question that allows us
to enter into a discussion, not just some clarification question. Questions may involve a critique
of the text.
–Your choice of the best quote from each text
–Links with something you have recently seen in the media, your surroundings.

•(5 points): An excellent paper. You clearly understand and engage with the readings and focus on
major points/arguments from them. You are able to cohesively tie the readings together (if there is
more than one). You make sophisticated connections from the readings to the real world. This is
reserved for truly excellent responses that provide thoughtful discussion questions. • (3-4
points): A good paper. You make a good attempt to engage with and understand the readings, to tie
them together and to address major arguments, or points of interest. You may also make good
connections from the readings to the real world. But your analysis remains more of a surface
reading/summary and you may have forgotten to provide discussion questions. • (1-2): A weak paper.
You seem to have done some of the reading but do not demonstrate a clear understanding of the major
points/arguments. There may be some factual errors/misunderstandings that could have been avoided
from more focused reading. You don’t really engage with the reading or provide discussion
questions.

http://jayneturner.pbworks.com/f/1269459101/plagiarism.jpg
http://tilt.library.skagit.edu/module4/images/plagiarism.GIF
http://marketingtochina.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Weibo-fight-against-copior.jpg

Session 2 - October 2
MIGRATION THEORIES AND THE RISE OF THE TRANSNATIONAL MIGRATION PERSPECTIVE
Guest lecturer: Ayse Caglar
•Readings prior to class:
•Glick Schiller, N., L. Basch, and C. Szanton Blanc. 1995. “From Immigrant to Transmigrant:
Theorizing Transnational Migration.” Anthropological Quarterly, 68(1): 48-63.
•Portes, A. 2001. “Introduction: The Debates and Significance of Immigrant Transnationalism.”
Global Networks 1(3): 181-194.
•Pries, L. 2001. “The Disruption of Social and Geographic Space: Mexican-US Migration and the
Emergence of Transnational Social Spaces.” International Sociology 16(1): 55-74.
•Discussion Paper: to be submitted to IS-Study Materials-Homework Vault by September 30 (please
check the discussion paper guidelines in Study Materials)

Session 3 - October 16
CITIES AS A CONTEXT OF RECEPTION FOR IMMIGRANTS
Guest: Brno Expat Centre
•Readings prior to class:
•Jaworsky, B. N. et al. 2012. New Perspectives on Immigrant Contexts of Reception: The Cultural
Armature of Cities. Nordic Journal of Migration Studies 2 (1), pp. 78-88. •Foner, N. 2007. “How
exceptional is New York? Migration and multiculturalism in the empire city.” Ethnic and Racial
Studies 30 (6), pp. 999-1023.
•Blog of Brno Expat Centre: What do expats say?
•Discussion Paper: to be submitted to IS-Study Materials-Homework Vaults by October 14
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Session 3 – October 16
CITIES AS A CONTEXT OF RECEPTION FOR IMMIGRANTS
•Group Project (in-class): In the first part of this class, we will discuss the readings assigned
for this week’s meeting and analyze Jaworsky et al.’s concept of “cultural armature.” Students
should bring their own observations from a city of their choice that we would discuss in relation
to the readings. Then, in the second part of this class, we will work on the project “Attracting
Talent” – What are the potentially strong and weak points of Brno from the point of view of a
foreigner? How could the city present itself to attract well-educated, talented individuals? For
example, what would keep you here after your studies?
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There is no class on October 30!
•Students work on a homework assignment.
•Homework Assignment: Paper topic due via e-mail by October 28 to B. Nadya Jaworsky
(jaworsky@fss.muni.cz) and Radka Klvaňová (klvanova@fss.muni.cz)
–one paragraph describing your paper topic and theoretical perspective.
•

Session 4 – November 13
MIGRANTS’ TRANSNATIONAL POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT WITH HOME AFFAIRS: CASE STUDY OF UKRAINIAN MIGRANTS
AND POST-MAIDAN MOBILIZATION
Guest lecturer: Olena Fedyuk
•Readings prior to class:
•Adamson, F.B. (2012). “Constructing the Diaspora: Diaspora Identity Politics and Transnational
Social Movements.” In Lyons, T., & Mandaville, P. G. Politics from afar: Transnational diasporas
and networks. London: Hurst & Co.
•Hepp, Andreas & Bozdag, Cigdem & Suna, Laura. (2012). Mediatized migrants: Media cultures and
communicative networking in the diaspora. Migration Diaspora and Information Technology in Global
Societies. 172-188.
•Movie screening in class: Road of a migrant
•Discussion Paper: to be submitted to IS-Study Materials-Homework Vaults by November 11
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Session 4 – November 13
MIGRANTS’ TRANSNATIONAL POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT WITH HOME AFFAIRS: CASE STUDY OF UKRAINIAN MIGRANTS
AND POST-MAIDAN MOBILIZATION
•Group Project (in-class): - This session will explore 2 main questions:
–1) what forms of migrants’ transnational engagement can we observe and what is the meaning of
political in them? And
–2) what is changing with internet and social media presence in the lives of mobile people and how
it effects their capacity for transnational engagement in home affairs.
–The second part of the session will be devoted to film screening: Road of a migrant (52 min; Dir.
Olena Fedyuk) followed by a discussion.
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Session 5 – November 27
MIGRATION POLICIES AT THE CITY LEVEL
Guest: Brno City Council
•Readings prior to class:
•Borkert, M., and Caponio, T. 2010. “Introduction: the local dimension of migration policymaking.”
In Borkert, M., and Caponio, T. (eds.) The Local Dimension of Migration Policymaking. Pp. 9-32.
IMISCOE Reports. Amsterdam University Press.
•Princová, K., and Travasso, M. 2016. Integration Without Borders. (Chapter 3.3 Diversity
Management, pp. 140-173). University Palackého in Olomouc.
•Discussion Paper: to be submitted to IS-Study Materials-Homework Vaults by November 25
•Group Project (in-class): Students will perform the role of policy makers – diversity managers for
the Masaryk University.
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Extra out-of class activity
•November 16 - Conference on local integration in Brno (More info to follow) –
-Only for Czech speaking students or those with translator
-Participation is voluntary
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Session 6 – December 11
RESEARCH DESIGN WORKSHOP& CONCLUSION
•We will devote the session to the discussion about writing the final papers and concluding
discussion about the course. We will either watch and discuss a movie about the life of immigrants
living in Brno or hold a research workshop where students will present the drafts of the final
papers.
•Homework assignments:
•1. Final paper draft: to be submitted to IS-Study Materials-Homework Vaults by December 7. •2.
Peer-to-peer feedback on your colleague’s paper proposal: to be submitted to IS-Study
Materials-Homework Vaults by December 10.
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