Fall 2024 - SA 366 D100
Special Topics in Sociology (S) (4)
Class Number: 5495
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Thu, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Baran (Abu) Fakhri
afakhri@sfu.ca
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Prerequisites:
SA 101 or 150 or 201W.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
Explores a topic in Sociology not regularly offered by the department.
COURSE DETAILS:
As of late 2023, UNHCR estimates forced displacement exceeds 110 million people. This means that 1 in every 69 people worldwide is forcibly displaced. While refugee condition is often portrayed as temporary, some refugees might wait almost a decade in general and over two decades in protracted conditions. In this course, we explore what forced migration, protracted displacement, and ‘illegal’ migration entails. Specific themes guide our exploration: how we label and react to people on the move; citizenship, mobility rights and privileges; international refugee regime, asylum laws and organizations; human rights and humanitarianism; borders and bordering practices; refugee protests; migrant detention, deportation, and carcerality; forced migration temporalities; clandestine migration practices (smuggling and border-transgressing); and forced migration and labour precarity. We will follow refugees on their routes, in and between places, thinking about uncertainty and waiting, violence and fear, hope and resilience.
COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:
- Gain a broad grasp of contemporary forced migration patterns, including waves (times) and regions (geographies)
- Learn about how organizations, actors, laws, and procedures are involved in forced migration
- Develop a critical approach to understanding forced migration beyond the framework of ‘illegality’, ‘crisis’, or ‘victims to be saved’
- Explore how refugees experience, practice, navigate through and narrate their forced displacement
- Explore how borders, bordering practices, and border violence control and target migrants spatially, temporally, and epistemically, and affectively
- Practice and sharpen skills in group presentation, discussion facilitation, and film analysis
Grading
- Attendance and Participation 10%
- Online Tutorial (CINE/MOBILITY) 10%
- Critical Responses (5 each 5%) 25%
- Group Presentation (presentation and discussion facilitation) 20%
- Final Paper 35%
NOTES:
Grading: Where a final exam is scheduled and the student does not write the exam or withdraw from the course before the deadline date, an N grade will be assigned. Unless otherwise specified on the course syllabus, all graded assignments for this course must be completed for a final grade other than N to be assigned. An N is considered as an F for the purposes of scholastic standing.
Grading System: The Undergraduate Course Grading System is as follows:
A+ (95-100) | A (90-94) | A- (85-89) | B+ (80-84) | B (75-79) | B- (70-74) | C+ (65-69) | C (60-64) | C- (55-59) | D (50-54) | F (0-49) | N*
*N standing to indicate the student did not complete course requirements
Academic Honesty and Student Conduct Policies: The Department of Sociology & Anthropology follows SFU policy in relation to grading practices, grade appeals (Policy T20.01), and academic honesty and student conduct procedures (S10‐S10.05). Unless otherwise informed by your instructor in writing, in graded written assignments you must cite the sources you rely on and include a bibliography/list of references, following an instructor-approved citation style. It is the responsibility of students to inform themselves of the content of SFU policies available on the SFU website.
Centre for Accessible Learning: Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need classroom or exam accommodations are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (1250 Maggie Benston Centre) as soon as possible to ensure that they are eligible and that approved accommodations and services are implemented in a timely fashion.
The Sociology and Anthropology Student Union, SASU, is a governing body of students who are engaged with the department and want to build the SA community. Get involved! Follow them on Instagram!
Materials
MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:
All required texts and material are listed in the weekly course schedule. These readings and assigned material will be available on Canvas, or online as otherwise indicated. There are a number of films and documentaries to watch that will be available via Canvas.
REQUIRED READING:
Khosravi, S. (2010). ‘Illegal’ Traveller: An Auto-ethnography of Borders. Palgrave Macmillan. (access via SFU Library)
REQUIRED READING NOTES:
Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.
Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION
Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.