Theories of Citizenship, Civil Society and Integration
7,5 ECTS
Information
Course leaders: Gabriella Elgenius
Duration: 14 April-23 May 2025; On-campus week in Gothenburg, 5-9 May, 2025
Location: Online and University of Gothenburg
Language: English
Study pace: 100%
Course Objectives
On completion of the course the student will be able to:
1) critically examine theories relating to citizenship, civil society and integration:
2) engage with contemporary and current debates on citizenship, civil society and integration:
3) assess and critically examine debates within wider socio-political contexts, and
4) carry out in-depth analysis of case studies.
Course Content
The course provides a survey of and examines key theoretical debates around citizenship, integration and civil society. Citizenship rights vary with tensions around and between formal rights, structures that grant or deny rights, and substantial rights that refer to security, prejudice and mechanisms enforcing citizenship rights. We analyse post-national, supranational, cosmopolitan and transnational citizenship models – beyond and below the level of the nation-state and models of integration. Integration, a much-critiqued concept, used for processes of inclusion, participation and incorporation and often referring to migrants, refugees and their descendants is increasingly contingent on demonstrating indicators of integration for instance speaking a language, getting a job etc, and related to citizenship. Perspectives and governance models of incorporation, ideal typical models, at supranational, national and local levels are also analysed. Thus, the course will problematize and analyse different perspectives and models of citizenship, integration and incorporation alongside their exclusive and inclusive features, highlighting intersections between migration class/ethnicity/gender and racialization. Theories and perspectives are also examined in relation to the voluntary non-for-profit sector or civil society, how civil society works to expand rights, compensate for shortcomings of the welfare state also addressing its exclusionary mechanisms. International and comparative case studies are used to explore the action-oriented nature of citizenship, the role of civil society in conditions of socioeconomic challenge and diversity, theories of social capital, actors, actions, activities, challenges, innovations, and ways of working to enhancing opportunities and mitigating challenges.
Course Lecturers
Gabriella Elgenius, Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology and Work Science, University of Gothenburg, Course Director.
Kerstin Jacobsson, Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology and Work Science, University of Gothenburg.
Juta Kawalerowicz, Senior Lecturer, Department of Human Geography, University of Stockholm.
Anders Neergard, Professor of Sociology, Division of Migration, Ethnicity and Society, REMESO, Linköping University.
Jenny Phillimore, Professor of Migration and Superdiversity, Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology, University of Birmingham.
Peter Scholten, Professor of Migration and Diversity Policy, Director of the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus research centre on the Governance of Migration and Diversity, Erasmus University Rotterdam.
How to Apply
This course is not yet open for applications.
Contact
For further information contact the course leader: Gabriella Elgenius
About the Graduate School in Migration and Integration
- Our Graduate School courses are offered to PhD students.
- 5 weeks of full-time work for 7,5 ECTS. One intensive week at REMESO, Campus Norrköping, Linköping University or at SOCAV & CGM, University of Gothenburg.
- All courses are taught in English.
- Courses are usually examined by a paper assignment.
- Accommodation is provided for free to all PhD students who are admitted to our courses.
