Course Syllabus

(Personal photo: June 2024, Moria Refugee Camp, Levos, Greece)

Course description:

At the end of 2025, the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide was estimated to be 117.8 million (UNHCR Global Trends 2025 Report). In this course, students will assess the legal protections afforded to these people (asking WHO is a refugee?) and analyze the drivers of this phenomenon (including individual persecution, generalized conflict, climate change, etc.) Importantly, we will explore both the role of institutions in displacement, and the experiences of the individual seeking refuge.

With a focus on the EU, students will gain a better understanding of how international and state actors weigh commitments to humans rights while reaffirming the legitimacy of power and state sovereignty. We will examine the consequences of the international border regime, with polices aimed at deterrence and externalization, considering questions such as: How and why is the border regime designed to keep displaced persons in limbo? 

Throughout the course, we will take strong advantage of location, exploring the responses of Denmark, Sweden, and Italy in depth. The course includes field studies to Malmø, Sweden and Sicily, Italy, to offer comparisons on how different EU states apply international refugee conventions and how local, non-governmental organizations play a role to fill gaps in protection. 

 Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the origins and evolution of international conventions governing the rights of asylum seekers 
2. Assess historical and current drivers of displacement by applying academic theory
3. Critically assess the EU border regime and related border and externalization policies within the scope international human rights law
4. Compare and contrast state policies governing asylum and migrant integration and the supplemental role played by NGOs and others in the solidarity community 
5. Assess the current state of "durable solutions" for refugees and the importance of individual agency in building solutions for the future. 

Readings:

There is no textbook for this course.

Below are some sample articles we will read this semester, All readings are provided as PDFs and linked in the Canvas Course Calendar by date (note that readings are subject to change):

• Hamlin, Rebecca. (2021) The Migrant/Refugee Binary,” in Crossing: How We Label and React to People on the Move. Stanford: Stanford University Press, p. 1–24 and 37-47
• UNHCR, Global Trends 2025 (Geneva: UNHCR, 2025).
• Abuya, Edwin O., Ulrike Krause, and Lucy Mayblin. (2021). “The neglected colonial legacy of the 1951 Refugee Convention.” International Migration, 59(4): 265-267.
• Lindberg, A. (2020). The production of precarity in Denmark’s asylum regime. Zeitschrift für Sozialreform, 66(4), 413-439.
• Pace, M. (2018). Overcoming bordering practices through the arts: The case of young Syrian refugees and their Danish counterparts in Denmark. Geopolitics, 23(4), 781-802.
• Emilsson, H. (2025). Closing the door to Sweden: Migration legislative changes and government inquiries in 2024. Current Issues in Migration Research, 2(1).
• Fry, C., & Islar, M. (2021). Horizontal local governance and social inclusion: The case of municipality-civil society engagement during refugee reception in Malmö, Sweden. Frontiers in Political Science, 3, 643134.
• Lischer, Sarah. (2014). “Conflict and crisis-induced displacement,” in Fiddian Qasmiyeh et al. (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Refugee and Forced Migration  Studies. Oxford University Press.
• Bohra-Mishra, Pratikshya, and Douglas S Massey. 2011. "Individual decisions to migrate during civil conflict." Demography 48 (2):401-424.
• FitzGerald, D. S. (2019). ‘The Catch-22 of Asylum Policy,’ Ch.1 in ‘Refuge Beyond  Reach: How Rich Democracies Repel Asylum Seekers,’ Oxford University Press. Supplemental:
• Spijkerboer, T. (2022). Coloniality and Recent European Migration Case Law. In V. Stoyanova & S. Smet (Eds.), Migrants’ Rights, Populism and Legal Resilience in Europe (pp. 117–138). chapter, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Giglioli, I. (2017). Producing Sicily as Europe: Migration, colonialism and the making of  the Mediterranean border between Italy and Tunisia. Geopolitics, 22(2), 407-428.
• Maple, N., & Hovil, L. (2025). Durable solutions: to what and for whom?. Journal of Refugee Studies, 38(1), 112-130.
  

Faculty:

Brittany Perry, Ph.D. (she/her/hers):

Ph.D. (Political Science, Duke University, 2013). B.A. (Political Science, University of Colorado Boulder, 2007). Assistant Professor of Government and Law, Lafayette College, 2013-2015. Instructional Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University, 2015-2020. Instructional Associate Professor, Texas A&M University, 2020-2021. External Lecturer, Copenhagen Business School, 2021-2023. Faculty and Staff at DIS Study Abroad since March 2024. 

Approach to the Course and Student Expectations:

The success of this course will depend on active involvement of ALL participants--faculty and students alike. As your instructor, I will provide the core framework of the course (applying a social science lens), but the depth of engagement with each piece of the curriculum ultimately depends on student preparation and passion. 

The course will consist of some traditional lectures, along with more interactive components, including group projects, discussions, and engagement with as many guest speakers as possible! As stated in the course description, we take great advantage of PLACE in this course, engaging with locals in Denmark, Sweden, and Sicily.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T & Responsibility in a Brave Space:

Students are expected to come prepared to each class session, having read assigned material (in the order listed each class link- available via the Course Summary/Calendar).

You are also expected to treat each other and any invited guests, onsite guides, or community members with RESPECT. This means showing up on time, staying awake, and avoiding distractions. Your attendance grade will be negatively affected if you engage in any disrespectful behavior during a given course session. 

This course will deal with some heavy subjects, and we will engage with different people across a range of cultures and backgrounds. Know that we are operating in a BRAVE space, and will follow a set of class-defined Community Standards.

Our goal is to create a learning environment that supports a diversity of thoughts, perspectives and experiences, and honors your identities (including race, gender, class, sexuality, religion, ability, political identity, etc.) If you ever feel we are not succeeding at this goal, please contact me so we can make a change. 

Health and Well-Being:

College is stressful. And while doing college abroad can be AMAZING, it can also bring about more or different stressors. But fear not, DIS is here to help!

Struggling with Academics? Book an appointment with Academic Support 

Struggling with mental health? Physical health? Culture shock? Book an appointment with our Care Team.

Accommodations:

If you have approved accommodations from your home school and received a letter from DIS confirming your accommodations abroad, please share this with me in the first week of class so we can make necessary arrangements. 

Communication:

I will use Canvas to make course announcements and directly message students. You can contact me using the Canvas Inbox. Please make sure you are seeing Canvas notifications in your inbox and messages are not going to Other or Spam folders.

Please note that I will do my best to respond within 24 hours, but that anything sent after 4pm on Friday will not be addressed until the following Monday. Please be sure to reach out early if you have time-specific questions (concerning a specific reading or assignment). 

Evaluation:

Attendance and Engagement (20%):

Attendance is required for all scheduled classes, field studies, and study tours.  Attendance is taken and engagement will be assessed every time we meet.

If you are unable to attend class or a site visit due to illness, family bereavement, or use of a pre-approved accommodation, you must proactively communicate with me to receive an excused absence. If granted, you remain responsible for any material covered or assigned in class during your absence.

Due to the experiential nature of the DIS program, tardiness and frequent absences, even if excused, may negatively impact your attendance grade and ability to pass the course.

Study tour attendance is EXTREMELY important for this course and not attending may result in failure. You will receive individual grades for CCW and Long Study Tour and BP may assign associated tasks or discussion posts that will factor into these grades. 

Core Course Week Profiles (15%)

In pairs, you will research one of the organizations supporting migrants/refugees we will visit in Copenhagen or Malmö. Through the project you will learn more about WHO your organization serves, HOW they conduct their work (and WHY), and WHAT lies ahead. The final submission will be 2-3 pages of text, along with at least 3 relevant visuals. 

Causes of Displacement Poster (15%)

You will develop and present a poster (conference style) to teach the class about one event or related set of events that have led to mass displacement. 

Short Papers (30%):

You will complete 2 out of 3 possible short papers during the semester. These papers are 1000-1200 words in length and the prompts, rubrics, and due dates appear in the "Assignments" tab.

Be mindful of your schedule and select the 2 papers and respective due dates that work best for YOU. But also remember that the end of the semester can be VERY packed, thus finishing assignments early (papers 1 & 2) is a good strategy! Note that you do NOT have the option to write all three papers. 

Final Project (20%):

This will be a creative, culminating, project for the course. We will showcase all final projects at the DIS festival on December 9th. 

Grading and Late Policy

Grade Make-Up:

Assignment	Percent
Attendance and Engagement:	20%
Core Course Week Profiles	15%
Causes of Displacement Poster Conference	15%
Short written papers (select 2)	30% (15% per paper)
Final Project	20%

Grade dispute:

Any student who is not satisfied with a grade on a given assessment must submit, in writing, a description of the issue in dispute (i.e. what is allegedly mis-graded and why you believe it is mis-graded.) If necessary, I will set a meeting to discuss the issue in person. I will then decide whether to raise, lower, or leave the grade unchanged. 

After the semester has ended, grade appeals must be filed online. See details here: https://disabroad.org/course-enrollment-and-grading/. 

Late Policy:

For every day an assignment is late, you will lose 10 points. Due to the fast-paced nature of the course I will not accept assignments that are more than 5 calendar days late. Please plan ahead and turn everything in on time.

Use of ChatGPT or AI Bots:

While papers written entirely using ChatGPT or other AI tools will NOT be accepted, you may use these tools in a professional manner for jump starting your research, building outlines, or formatting your work in this course.

If you use AI in ANY part of your research or writing process, you must properly cite the tool(s) and include a short note describing how this tool(s) was used.

Please be cautious of privacy concerns, bias, and errors that can result using an AI generated search. If I identify AI generated errors when grading an assignment, or if anything is clearly copy/pasted without proper citations, you are at risk of receiving a zero for the entire assignment and/or an official Honor Code violation from DIS (see Honor Code here).

If you have questions about how to use AI tools for this course, please contact BP.

Use of laptops or cellphones:

The use of laptops is allowed and even encouraged for many class sessions. However, if your laptop becomes a distraction and you are not using it for course purposes, you will be asked to put it away.

Unless there is an emergency (consult with me), you are to refrain from using your cell phone during class, guest lectures, and site visits. On site visits, please use a small notebook for note taking as opposed to using your phone. 

Volunteering Opportunities

Students often want to volunteer as part of their time in Copenhagen. Below are some opportunities that might align with your course content.

Grace KBH

About the organization:

Grace supports the unhoused population in Copenhagen, including a large migrant population. Their core services include morning/day cafes, shower services, and outreach support. 

See more here: https://blaakors.dk/vores-arbejde/vaeresteder-udsatte-og-ensomme/gracekbh-i-koebenhavn/bliv-frivillig 

 

The opportunities below are curated by the Academics Department, and not BP, so please reach out to mne@dis.dk if you have questions.

NightLife

About the organization: 

“Night Light cafe provides a safe space for foreign women working in the prostitution environment in Vesterbro especially Nigerian women. n the night café the women can come in for a breathing space from working on the street, a conversation, a game, and refreshments. It is our goal to meet the women at eye level with openness and respect towards their culture and belief.”

 The volunteer Opportunity & Commitment: 

Only women can volunteer. 1 shift expected every 3 weeks. The shifts are from 3am to 6am. Consider signing up with a buddy who can travel with you late at night.

Contact Information: 

If interested in volunteering, please see this information page and contact Karin with any questions. kk@exist-ngo.org

https://frivilligjob.dk/job/151463/night-light-cafe

YouPeople Cafe

About the organization & opportunity: 

“YouPeople is a morning café for homeless and socially vulnerable people in Nørrebro. We offer a warm breakfast, coffee, tea, and pastries to anyone who needs it. We also offer showers, clothes, laundry service, and beds to rest in. Everyone is welcome.”

 The shifts run from 07:10-10:30 on weekdays and 08:30-11:45 on weekends, and consist of preparing breakfast, coffee and tea for the visitors. You sign up on facebook, and please remember to show up if you commit.

Contact Information: 

If interested please see the facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/www.kirkenskorshaer.dk

Notes on Course Summary:

Please note that this schedule is subject to modification. You will have advance notice of any changes. But do not schedule any travel on Monday or Thursday throughout the semester in case class sessions need to be rescheduled.

NOTE: We will have ONE field study this semester to the UN City. This will be on September 2nd in the afternoon.