Syllabus Template This Syllabus Template is based on Syllabus Guidelines (Annex 3 to Policy on Degree Programs) COURSE SYLLABUS COURSE TITLE: Sociological investigation of ethnicities, minorities, and migration Instructor : Antal Örkény Name, title: professor Department: visiting lecturer (ELTE TáTK Ethnic and Minority Studies Department) Central European University Semester/term, year: 2014-2015, Spring term Course level (MA, PhD): MA # Credits (# ECTS Credits): Pre-requisites (if applicable): Course e-learning site: Office hours: days, location: Tuesday 12.40-13.40 Course Description This course will examine the ways in which the modern European identities and regional cultures are formed and inter-communicated in the Eastern part of the European continent. The course work is based on a fresh survey data, a cross cultural comparative project carried out between 2009 and 2011 titled “Interplay of European, National and Regional Identities: nations between states along the new eastern borders of the European Union” (ENRI EAST) and financed by an EU grant. While the definition of ‘nation’ is certainly problematic, this project use the term to refer to group identities that imply a strong claim for a sovereign state. Our empirical research focuses on the nations and states on both sides of the new Eastern border of the EU (“divided nations”). This includes the following states: Poland, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, Belorussia, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, and Germany, as well as their corresponding national groups living on either side of the borders (i.e. in their ‘mother country’ or in one or more of the neighboring countries). The issues of identity formation and the interplay of different identities are more salient in the complex conditions of broad social restructuring in Eastern Europe and thus offer far ranging opportunities to explore different mechanisms of identity formation that may not be so obvious, yet are of equal importance, in the context of other parts of Europe. Divided nations are the product of moving borders or moving people. By this criteria one can distinguish, for the purpose of our research „classic minorities”, “recent migrants”, and “historical migrants” The project includes a detailed statistical survey of these groups and the selection of a number of them for an in-depth description and analysis. The study aims to compare and analyze such important features of the historic and social memory and the consciousness of these ethnic groups, as patterns of self-identification and feelings of belonging, shared values, common social, cultural and political habits and traditions. Based on different empirical sociological survey data and the available results we will approach different cases of identity formations, inter-ethnic relations and ethnic conflicts, the majority-minority relation, and ethnic based discrimination examining its roots and sociological consequences 1 Syllabus Template Learning Outcomes . By the end of the class, students will have acquired basic knowledge of cross-cultural comparative empirical sociological investigation and methodology. The students gain an insight into the different profiles for the specific research approach, the qualitative and quantitative empirical research methods. The course will teach how qualitative and quantitative data basis can be analyses and compared. Participants can learn how different research paradigms and researches can be integrated into a coherent scientific outcome. Learning outcomes are supported by the course’s requirements and assessed accordingly. By the end of this course, students will be able to: Establish considerable knowledge about various forms of ethnic identities and inter-ethnic conflicts in border situation in Eastern Europe Make choices between quantitative and qualitative methods of empirical research Provide skills on cross national and intercultural comparative data analysis Interpret statistical data and tables Integrate theoretical concepts with empirical field experiences Course Requirements All the readings and research resources will be available in electronic format, and will be distributed among the students when semester starts Class activity All class members are responsible for acting as discussion facilitator for each weekly topic during the semester. Typically, presentations will take the form of a brief presentation based on some readings and empirical findings (5-10 minutes) integrated with critical questions for open discussion, which will constitute the remainder of the class time. Midterm Each student will have to complete a short in-class data analyzes based on the provided empirical sources. Final Students of this class will have to write a paper, which should investigate a selected problem that is relevant and fit into the framework of the project. Topics can be selected from a list provided by the instructor after midterm. Deadline of the final papers is a week before the end of the semester. Assessment (100% of the final grade). Detailed description of the assignment specifying grading criteria – i.e. on what basis will be the grade/points for this assignment awarded. o Midterm, 45 minutes in class exam - 25 % o Class contribution – 10 %. o Class presentations – 15 % o Final exam, take-home end term paper – 50% 2 Syllabus Template COURSE SCHEDULE Between April 14 th and May 28 th , 6*2 classes per weeks, The main themes of the seminar are going to follow the components of the project, which are the followings: 1. April 14, Tuesday Conceptualization of the research problem Theoretical and methodological background for the study of European, national and regional identities of split nations and ethnic groups in Europe (ENRI East) Readings: Florian Pichler: A theoretical framework (18 p) Florian Pichler: Concepts and dimensions of identities (5 p) ENRI-Archeology (41 p) Project (96 p) 2. April 16, Thursday Contextualization of the study Cross national secondary data analysis of national identity in Europe (macro sociological and statistical data) + minority histories per countries and studied groups in Eastern European border regions (16 different study fields) Readings: ISSP national identity module, standard questionnaire (14 p) Csepeli-Orkeny: International comparative investigation into national identity (53 p) Orkeny: European Identity and national attachment (29 p) 3. April 28, Tuesday Operationalization of the research issue Cross-national quantitative survey on values and identities among border ethnic minorities (design and reporting) Readings: SPSS manual (optional) Standard Questionnaire (38 p) Summary technical report (27 p) 4. April 30, Thursday Analyzing quantitative data 1. Cross country comparative empirical research on the interplay of ethnic, national and regional identities in ECE Readings: Slovak Journal of Political Sciences, Volume 11, 2011, No. 3 5. May 5, Tuesday Analyzing quantitative data 2. Civic ethnic hybrid and atomized identities in Central Europe. A comparative analysis Readings: Natalia Waechter: Civic ethnic hybrid and atomized identities (32 p) 6. May 7, Thursday Analyzing quantitative data 3. Ethnic dyads and diaspora affiliations on the Eastern borderland of Europe Readings: Orkeny-Szekelyi: Constructing border identities along the frontier of ECE (20 p) 7. May 12, Tuesday Midterm 3 Syllabus Template 8. May 14, Thursday Analyzing qualitative data Cross-national qualitative surveys (interviews, teenager essays, musical 3G survey, Internet content-analysis, etc.) (design and reporting) Readings: Heinrich-Alekseeva: Ethnic minorities of CEE in the internet (128 p) Manuals: expert interviews, ethnic biographies, family and children music focus groups, children essays 9. May 19, Tuesday Thesis proposal and research methodology presentation 10. May 21, Thursday Thesis proposal and research methodology presentation 11. May 26, Tuesday Thesis proposal and research methodology presentation 12. May 28, Thursday Thesis proposal and research methodology presentation 4.