Course Syllabus
Stolen Childhoods: Migrant and Refugee Children in Europe
Fall 2017
Copenhagen
3 credits
Major Discipline: Child Development, International Relations, Sociology
Faculty: Stine Laursen, stine.laursen@dis.dk
Program Director: Maja Sbahi Biehl, msb@dis.dk, Vestergade 10 A24
Program Assistant: Colleen Kolb, cko@dis.dk, Vestergade 10 A24
Tuesday/Friday, 10.05 – 11.25
Room (N7-A23): Nørregade 7, Staircase A, Level 2, Classroom 3
Course Information and Purpose
Course Description:
Focusing on Denmark’s well-known commitment to children’s rights and their well-being, as well as the country’s treatment of migrants and refugees, this course examines displaced and exploited children with a primary focus on Europe. Using case studies, research and official reports, films, literary excerpts, news accounts, and fieldwork, students learn about migration, trafficking, war, child labor, ethnic or religious discrimination, and disaster as causes of childhood displacement and exploitation. They also investigate displacement and exploitation as factors in children’s overall development, sense of belonging, and identity.
Students examine relevant national and international treaties, laws and policies, and analyze the impact of displaced and exploited children upon the countries that receive them. Students also develop skills for writing and speaking about children's issues; and, more specifically, they develop skills for effective and responsible child advocacy, whether it be hands-on in the field or through political action and education.
Objectives:
Students in this class will be able to:
- Discuss migrant, refugee, asylum-seeking, and other displaced and exploited children within the context of global children’s issues
- Explain the nature, extent, and reasons for migration, refugee status-seeking, and other forms of displacement and exploitation among children in Europe and other parts of the world
- Critically analyze relevant national and international laws, policies, and treaties in countries of origin and receiving countries like Denmark.
- Critically analyze childhood migration and other forms of displacement from the perspective of Human Rights and Children’s Rights
- Describe the effects of migration, displacement and refugee circumstances upon children’s sense of belonging and identity, as well as upon their overall development
- Critically analyze various approaches to the treatment of displaced and mobile children in Europe receiving countries from the perspectives of the children themselves, the host society, and children’s rights
- Create an evidence-based presentation to increase awareness of displacement and exploitation as a global children’s issue and to motivate others to become involved in responsible and effective child advocacy.
Course Components
- Required Texts: The majority of the required readings for this course are found in the compendium or on Canvas. Additional readings will be selected as the course progresses based on student interests and current events. Course Reading and Resource List will be distributed on the first day of class.
- Approach to teaching: I always come to class well-prepared and energetic and I expect my students to do so too. Together with the students, my goal is to create a Community of Active Learners who are highly motivated to engage with the material and with each other to achieve the course learning objectives, as well as additional objectives we may identify along the way. Each class will typically include a mini-lecture and a pair activity, a group activity, and/or a lively class discussion. Some classes will include films and guest speakers. At the end of each session, we will summarize the most important theories and information, synthesize it with what we have learned previously, and clarify expectations for upcoming class meetings and assignments. In recognition that learning often takes place outside of class, I will try to be available for informal conversations with students and I am pleased to join students’ outside, class-related activities (study groups, course project work) when invited to do so.
- Expectations of the students: Students are expected to have completed the assigned readings prior to each class and be prepared to contribute to the class with questions derived from the readings, and reflections from your own experiences and other courses.
It is expected that students:
- Are active participants in class discussions
- Study the readings for each class and prepare questions for discussions
- Collaborate actively in groups during class time for knowledge exchange
- Discuss readings and prepare presentations with an assigned study group outside of class
- Develop and exercise critical thinking throughout the course
- Be independent, manage own time and execute self-directed learning
- Take an active part in creating a sincere, interesting, and safe classroom environment where different perspectives are presented and discussed openly and without prejudice
- Assist in creating a class culture and community of learners
Be prepared to discuss your reflections in class and complete readings that will be assigned in each class or communicated to you via Canvas.
- Field studies: Field studies complement your course work by placing you in real-world settings to expand upon and rethink what we read about and discuss in class, as well as your daily life experiences in Denmark. You will be expected to prepare for each field study by completing all readings and preparing questions. In this class, field studies include group visits to sites selected by the instructor on the following days:
- September 20th, 8:30-12:30
- November 29th, 13:00-17:00
Instructor: Stine Laursen
Email: stine.laursen@dis.dk
Cand. Scient. Soc. from the University of Copenhagen (2010), and BSc and MSc in Political Sociology from the London School of Economics (2006). Stine specialises in irregular migration in Scandinavia. She has broad research experience in the area of migration and immigration, including projects in East and Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe. Stine’s interest in children and their development and education has been developed as a substitute teacher at the Copenhagen Euro School (2001-2002), as well as various childcare institutions, mentoring, and volunteering with children.
Scheduled Office Hours:
Tuesdays: 11:30 – 12:30
Other office hours by appointment
Location: TBA
Assignments and Evaluation
Assignments (subject to modification) Percentage of Grade
- Participation - Continuous assessment; 25% of grade
-
Papers and Class Activities: 50% of grade
1. Assignment: 1/9
2. Research question: 22/9
3. Assignment: 3/10
4. First draft: 13/10
5. Final draft: 10/12
6. Quizzes – no dates specified
-
Working Group Project and Presentation: 25% of grade
1. Project due 1/12
2. Presentations: 1/12 and 5/12
Participation:
Class participation constitutes a large part of the course grade. To receive a high grade on participation, you must
- have good class attendance and arrive on time;
- come to class well prepared, having completed all assignments;
- contribute meaningfully to class discussions and activities;
- demonstrate increasing mastery of the material;
- think critically about differing theories, policies, and points of view; and
- participate actively in all field studies.
The quality of each student’s work on group activities will be considered as part of the class participation grade. In other words, it will not be enough to “be there” for a group activity; you must be a productive participant in the process and your work must contribute significantly to the final product. I expect students to come to class having completed the assignments thoroughly and thoughtfully and, therefore, to arrive ready to discuss, debate, engage, reflect, and question. I expect students to respect various points of view, but also to challenge one another’s thinking and my thinking too. Good class participation is not the same as “talking the most;” but rather, a measure of each student’s contributions to our shared learning experiences.
Papers, Quizzes and Class Activities:
There will be one longer paper (i.e. one draft and a final version) and a number of quizzes and tests during the course. Quizzes will usually be at the beginning of class in the form of quick writes on assigned readings. Class activities will sometimes be graded.
Working Group Project and Presentation:
The culminating group project will be explained in class.
Further information about grading:
I use a multi-method assessment system. This means that I provide many and varied opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning, including quick writes at the beginning or end of class, occasional tests and quizzes, written assignments, and a final project. I also incorporate individual, paired, and group activities into the assessment plan. The goal here is to give each student a chance to shine through his or her best/most comfortable mode(s) of demonstrating knowledge and ability to apply it.
Students complete self-evaluations and peer evaluations as part of the final grading process. I take these into account; but, as course instructor, I am responsible for determining all grades.
I return written assignments to individual students with my comments and the grade, usually electronically. I do not discuss grades on an assignment or in the course via email. Students who wish to discuss grades must see me in person during scheduled office hours or by appointment. This is to preserve confidentiality. To be eligible for a passing grade in this class you must complete all of the assigned work. I do not grade on a curve.
Disability and resource statement: Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Academic Support (acadsup@dis.dk) to coordinate this. In order to receive accommodations, students should inform the instructor of approved DIS accommodations within the first two weeks of classes.
Policies
Attendance
You are expected to attend all DIS classes when scheduled. If you miss a class for any reason please contact the faculty no later than the day of the missed class. If you miss multiple classes the Director of Teaching and Learning, and the Director of Student Affairs will be notified and they will follow-up with you to make sure that all is well. Absences will jeopardize your grade and your standing at DIS. Allowances will be made in cases of illness, but in the case of multiple absences you will need to provide a doctor’s note.
Academic Honesty: Plagiarism and Violating the Rules of an Assignment
DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or thought taken from others. Academic dishonesty will result in a final course grade of “F” and can result in dismissal. The students’ home universities will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in electronic form for submission to plagiarism detection software. See the Academic Handbook for more information, or ask your instructor if you have questions.
Other important aspects of academic honesty for this course include accurate reporting of (1) fieldwork experiences and (2) the nature and extent of your contributions to your Working Group outside of class.
Lateness and Tardiness
Students are also expected to arrive punctually for all classes. Unexcused absences will result in a lower course grade. Students are responsible for all work missed due to absence or tardiness. Course assignments must be submitted by the beginning of class on the due date even if the student is absent for full marks.
Students may notify me via email if they are going to miss class or be late to class. Students are responsible for all work missed during their absence, regardless of the reason. Assignments are due on the due date regardless of whether the student is in class at the time when the assignment is due. I will not discuss the impact of an absence on a student’s grade via phone or email. This is to preserve confidentiality.
Please be advised that late papers will be accepted, but the grade for the paper will be reduced by half a point for each day that it is late.
Use of laptops or phones in class:
Computers, tablets and phones are allowed in class for note taking purposes and group work. Phones are to be shut off during class and texting, Facebooking etc. during class will have a negative impact on your participation grade. If a phone does ring in class the responsible party is expected to bring cake or another snack to class next time, this of course applies to all participants including the instructor.
Reading/Reference List:
Alba, Richard and Victor Nee. 1999. “Rethinking Assimilation Theory for a New Era of Immigration.” Pp. 137-160 in The Handbook of International Migration, edited by Charles Hirschman et al. New York, NY: Russell Sage Foundatio
Alfredson, Lisa: “Child soldiers, displacement and human security”
Anderson, Lund & Schulz (2010) “Ideally, you need a good childhood:” 40 children talk: www.boerneraadet.dk/english/reports
Augustin, Laura (2009). “West Africa’s Children: are they trafficked?”
Convention of the rights of the child (CRC): http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/pdf/crc.pdf
Dobson, Madeleine E. (2009) Unpacking children in migration research
Drugger, Durlauf & Heckman. Role of Human Capability in Reframing the Global Development Agenda.
Fazel, Mina l, Ruth V Reed, Catherine Panter-Brick, Alan Stein, “Mental health of displaced and refugee children resettled in high-income countries: risk and protective factors”: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.461.9066&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Gulloev and Gilliam: “Moulding civilized citizens” http://edu.au.dk/fileadmin/edu/Temaer/Paedagogisk_antropologi/Moulding_civilized_citizens_-_paper_Gilliam_og_Gulloev.pdf
Heath, Anthony F., Catherine Rothon and Elina Kilpi. The Second Generation in Western Europe: Education, Unemployment, and Occupational Attainment, Annual Review of Sociology, Vol. 34: 211-235 (2008) DOI: 10.1146/annurev.soc.34.040507.134728
Jordan, L P, Graham, E, Resilience and Well-Being Among Children of Migrant Parents in South-East Asia; Child Dev. 2012 September; 83(5): 1672–1688. Published online 2012 September doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01810.x
Hopkins, Peter E. & Malcolm Hill (2008): “Pre-flight experiences and migration stories”
Human Rights Watch Lost in Transit: Insufficient Protection…at Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport (2012)
IDP (2015) “Internal displacement global overview 2015”:
Read: p. 7-15 and take a look at the country figures from p. 82
ILO textbook on Child Labour, 2004, Chapter 2 (i.e. pages 42-69; no need to do the exercise at the end)
Júlíusdóttir & Gunnlaugsson, Nordic comparison of reception of asylum seeking and refugee children in a public health perspective
Laoire, Ni, C., Carpena-Mendez, F., Tyrrell, N. and White, A.; (2011) Introduction - Childhood and Migration in Europe: portraits of mobility, identity and belonging in contemporary Ireland. In Childhood and Migration in Europe: portraits of mobility, identity and belonging in contemporary Ireland. UK: Ashgate
Mignatti (2012): “The Case of Third Country Nationals Family Reunification”
Mooney, Erin: “The Concept of Internal Displacement and the Case for Internally Displaced Persons as a Category of Concern”
Neumayer, Eric (2007). “Qualified ratification: explaining reservations to international human rights treaties.” Journal of Legal Studies, 36 (2). pp. 397-430.
http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/3051/1/Qualified_ratification_(LSERO).pdf
Ngure, Francis M, Brianna M. Reid, Jean H. Humphrey, Mduduzi N. Mbuya, Gretel Pelto, and Rebecca J. Stoltzfus “Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), environmental enteropathy, nutrition, and early child development: making the links.”
Parusel B (2016) Unaccompanied minors in Europe: between immigration control and the need for protection Security, Insecurity and Migration in Europe, 2016
Peek, Lori and Alice Fothergill. 2006. “Reconstructing Childhood: An Exploratory Study of Children in Hurricane Katrina.” Quick Response Report #186. Boulder: Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, University of Colorado.
Peters, Krijn et al. (2000). “When children affected by war go home: Lessons learned from Liberia”
Serap Keles, Oddgeir Friborg, Thormod Idsøe, Selcuk Sirin, and Brit Oppedal. “Resilience and acculturation among unaccompanied refugee minors.” International Journal of Behavioral Development 0165025416658136, first published on July 29, 2016 doi:10.1177/0165025416658136
http://jbd.sagepub.com/content/early/2016/07/28/0165025416658136.abstract
Unicef, 2014, Access to education for Syrian refugee children in Zaatari refugee camp:
http://www.unicef.org/jordan/Joint_Education_Needs_Assessment_2014_E-copy2.pdf
Read: Introduction, findings, conclusion and recommendations
Unicef Report: Child Victims of Trafficking in Europe, Chapter 2 (i.e. pages 13-32)
Wagner & Einarsdottir (2006). Nordic ideals as reflected in Nordic childhoods and early education.
Wagner (2004). ”Fishing naked.”
Wagner (2006). “An outsider’s perspective: Childhoods and early education in the Nordic countries.”
Wagner, Camparo, Tsenkova, & Camparo, (2008). ”Do anti-immigrant sentiments track into Danish classrooms? Ethnicity, ethnicity salience, and bias in children’s peer preferences.”
Wateraid: http://www.wateraid.org/~/media/Publications/how-health-systems-fail-child-mortality.pdf
Course Summary:
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