Migration, Health and Biopolitics, 7.5 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Course offered for

• Master´s Programme in Ethnic and Migration Studies

Entry requirements

• Bachelor's degree equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen within one of the following subject areas:
  - humanities
  - fine arts
  - cultural studies
  - social sciences
  - behavioural sciences
  - health sciences
  - natural sciences 
  or equivalent
• English corresponding to the level of English in Swedish upper secondary education (English 6)
  Exemption from Swedish
• 37,5 ECTS credits passed from the programme

Intended learning outcomes

After completion of the course, the student should on an advanced level be able to:
- critically account for relations between migration, health and biopolitics;
- analyse health policy and health practices, in addition to narratives concerning health and wellbeing, in relation to theories of nation, ethnicity and race.
- critically account for the views of human nature and society that have informed population control, racial biology, colonial psychiatry and postmodern genetics. 

Course content

In this course, questions of health are addressed with reference to intersectional theories of migration, ethnicity and racism. A basic assumption of the course is that bodies, emotions and personal relationships are shaped by experiences of migration, ethnic identity and racialising social structures, and students examine the ways in which such influences find expression on the individual, group, and social level. 
Included in the course are critical perspectives on global and national health policy, with particular focus on connections between health issues and biopolitics. Examined in the course are examples of population control, the history of racial biology, postmodern genetics, colonial psychiatry in addition to migration and trauma. The course also includes institutional perspectives, with particular focus on the connections between health care systems and migration regimes, as well as connections between sociocultural and (bio)medical perspectives.

Teaching and working methods

The course offers a combination of lectures, seminars, group assignments and individual assignments. Language of instruction is English.

Examination

The course is examined through active seminar participation and written assignments. Detailed information about the examination can be found in the course’s study guide.

If special circumstances prevail, and if it is possible with consideration of the nature of the compulsory component, the examiner may decide to replace the compulsory component with another equivalent component.

If the LiU coordinator for students with disabilities has granted a student the right to an adapted examination for a written examination in an examination hall, the student has the right to it.

If the coordinator has recommended for the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination, the examiner may grant this if the examiner assesses that it is possible, based on consideration of the course objectives.

An examiner may also decide that an adapted examination or alternative form of examination if the examiner assessed that special circumstances prevail, and the examiner assesses that it is possible while maintaining the objectives of the course.

Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course twice are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

Grades

Other information

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus. 

The course is conducted in such a way that there are equal opportunities with regard to sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation and age.

If special circumstances prevail, the vice-chancellor may in a special decision specify the preconditions for temporary deviations from this course syllabus, and delegate the right to take such decisions.

About teaching and examination language

The teaching language is presented in the Overview tab for each course. The examination language relates to the teaching language as follows: 

• If teaching language is “Swedish”, the course as a whole could be given in Swedish, or partly, or as a whole, in English. Examination language is Swedish, but parts of the examination can be in English.
• If teaching language is “English”, the course as a whole is taught in English. Examination language is English.
• If teaching language is “Swedish/English”, the course as a whole will be taught in English if students without prior knowledge of the Swedish language participate. Examination language is Swedish or English depending on teaching language.

Department