Week 1: Introduction

Syllabus discussion and course overview

Introduction to climate migration research

Week 2: Key Concepts and Challenges

Readings:

Boas, Ingrid et al. (2022). "Climate Mobilities: Migration, Im/mobilities, and Mobility Regimes in
a Changing Climate."

Ferris, Elizabeth (2020). "Research on Climate Change and Migration: Where Are We and Where Are We
Going?"

Discussion: Key concepts, questions, and problems in climate migration research

Week 3: Terminology Debate

Readings:

Piguet, E. (2013). "From 'Primitive Migration' to 'Climate Refugees.'"

Felli, R. (2013). "Managing Climate Insecurity by Ensuring Continuous Capital Accumulation."

Discussion: Labelling the phenomenon - Environmental migrants, climate refugees, or something else?

Week 4: Myths and Realities

Readings:

Durand-Delacre, D. et al. (2021). "Climate Migration Is About People, Not Numbers."

Boas, I. et al. (2019). "Climate Migration Myths."

Discussion: Debunking climate migration myths

Week 5: Theoretical Frameworks

Reading: Black, R. et al. (2011). "The Effect of Environmental Change on Human Migration."

Discussion: Environmental change and migration - Theories and concepts

Week 6: Empirical Evidence

Readings:

Warner, K. & Van der Geest, K. (2013). "Loss and Damage from Climate Change: Local-level Evidence."

Zickgraf, C. et al. (2016). "The Impact of Vulnerability and Resilience on Mobility Patterns in
West Africa."

Borderon, M. et al. (2019). "Migration Influenced by Environmental Change in Africa."

Discussion: Environmental migration - Empirical evidence from various regions

Week 7: Reading Week (No Classes)

Week 8: Rights and Justice

Readings:

Sheller, M. (2023). "Mobility Justice After Climate Coloniality."

Bettini, G. et al. (2017). "The Fading Contours of (In)justice in Competing Discourses on Climate
Migration."

Discussion: Migrant Rights, climate, and mobility justice

Week 9: Policy Perspectives

Readings:

Nash, S. L. (2019). "A Spotlight on Negotiating Mobility in Paris."

Gemenne, F. (2011). "How They Became the Human Face of Climate Change."

Discussion: Policy in the light of environmental migration

Week 10: Case Studies


Guest speakers:

Rachael Diniega, PhD student, Department of Geography, University of Vienna

Coline Garcia, PhD students, Department of Geography, University of Vienna


Reading

Van Praag, L., Lietaer, S., & Michellier, C. (2021). A Qualitative Study on How Perceptions of
Envi- ronmental Changes are Linked to Migration in Morocco, Senegal, and DR Congo. Human Ecology,
50(2), 347-361. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-021-00278-1

Afifi, T., Milan, A., Etzold, B., Schraven, B., Rademacher-Schulz, C., Sakdapolrak, P., ... &
Warner, K. (2016). Human mobility in response to rainfall variability: opportunities for migration
as a successful adaptation strategy in eight case studies. Migration and Development, 5(2),
254-274.

Guest Speaker: [TBA]

Discussion: Case studies in environmental migration

Week 11: Student Presentations - Case Study I

Week 12: Student Presentations - Case Study II

Week 13: Wrap-up Session and Reflection


Assessment:

Class participation and discussion: 25%

Weekly readings and questions: 15%

Mid-term assignment (Policy Brief): 15%

Case study presentation: 20%

Final research paper: 25%



Assignment: Environmental Migration Case Study Project


By Week 2, students will be grouped for the case study project. Each group is expected to produce a
policy brief (1-2 pages), a 20-minute presentation, and a final paper. If working in a group, the
final paper should be 7000-8000 words, and if working individually, it should be 3500-4000 words.

Key Milestones:
  * Case Study Selection (Week 1-3)
  * [DEL: Policy Brief (Week 8) - 15% of final course grade :DEL]
  * Small assignments  (Week 8-9) 15% of final course grade[DEL: :DEL]
  * Presentation (Week 11-12) - 20% of final course grade
  * Final Seminar Paper (January) - 25% of final course grade