Economics of Labour Migration 2400-ENSM045C
An aim of the seminar is to lead Master level students through their process of MA thesis preparation and to supervise their work. Students are welcomed to propose their own topics or – alternatively – possible subjects will be suggested to them. In general, the seminar focuses on all possible economic aspects of human mobility starting from causes of migration ((a) why does migration start? and (b) why it does continue?) through analytical explanation of various forms of mobility (selectivity of migration, labour migration, seasonal migration, mobility of the highly skilled) to socio-economic effects of migration for both origin and destination countries (migration and development, remittances and social remittances, transferability of skills, return migration, economic integration, welfare effects of migration, labour market impacts on native workforce). In scientific terms the class is meant to apply up-to date theoretical models to real life events and processes to test relevance and explanatory power of available theories / concepts of mobility / migration. We will focus on labour migration but all attempts to apply economically oriented migration concepts to analysis of mobility of asylum seekers and refugees are also possible.
Format of the class is following. Alternative approaches to migration as provided by the most important socio-economic theories of migration will be presented and discussed during group meetings. Group meetings are also dedicated to discussion of early drafts of the theses (and their parts). Apart from that the class will have form of a workshop and individual meetings. Workshops will be devoted to training of particular practical abilities related to the MA thesis writing process (hypotheses / research questions building and testing, data presentation etc.). Individual meetings will be scheduled to discuss details of particular theses.
Type of course
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
KW01, KW02, KW03, KU01, KU02, KU03, KK01, KK02, KK03
Assessment criteria
Students will be assessed based on their activity and progress of the writing process
Bibliography
Castles, S., Miller, M. (2009). The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the Modern World. London: Palgrave.
Guilmoto, Ch., Sandron, F. (2001).The Internal Dynamics of Migration Networks in Developing Countries. Population: An English Selection 13(2): 135-164.
Hammar, T., Brochmann, G., Tamas, K., Faist, T. (eds.) (2001). International Migration, Immobility and Development. Multidisciplinary Perspectives, Oxford: Berg.
Hatton, T.J. Williamson, J.G. (2002). What Fundamentals Drive World Migration? NBER Working Papers 9159, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
Massey, D., Arango, J., Hugo, G., Kouaouci, A., Pellegrino, A., Taylor, E. (1999). Worlds in Motion. Understanding International Migration at the End of the Millennium, Oxford: Clarendon Press.
McKenzie, D., Rapaport H. (2007). Network Effects and the Dynamics of Migration and Inequality: Theory and Evidence from Mexico. Journal of Development Economics 84 (1): 1–24.
OECD (2018 and other years). International Migration Outlook. Paris: OECD.
Stark, O. (1991). The migration of labor. Cambridge: Basil Blackwell.
UNDP (2009). Overcoming barriers: Human mobility and development. Human Development Report 2009, New York: UNDP (available on-line: http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2009/)
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: