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78238-01 - Block seminar: Crimmigration in Europe: The Entanglement of Criminal Law and Migration Control (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2025 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Irina Fehr (irina.fehr@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Lecturer: Irina Fehr (Tilburg University) This seminar examines the growing overlap between criminal law and migration control, often referred to as the criminalization of migration, or more concisely: crimmigration. We will explore how immigration law has increasingly incorporated criminal law tools, resulting in practices such as migration-related prosecutions, racial profiling, and the detention of migrants in prison(-like) institutions, often followed by their deportation. Attention will also be given to the criminalization of those who support people on the move – ranging from human smugglers to NGOs and individuals acting in solidarity – who face rising punitive measures. Focusing on these developments in Europe, yet situating them in the global context, we will critically analyze the mechanisms, consequences, and drivers of crimmigration, including the role of race and exclusion. The seminar will further question the one-sided crime-migration link found found in popular and academic discourse (focusing on migrants as potential offenders), asking whether also state actors controlling migration in a harmful manner can or should be targeted by criminal justice systems. |
| Learning objectives | By the end of this seminar, students will be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the intersections between migration and criminal law, as well as the key developments in crimmigration scholarship. They will be able to critically read and evaluate academic texts and situate them within broader scholarly debates on migration and criminalization. Students will further learn to apply insights from academic literature in order to analyze and interpret practical developments in migration control and criminal justice. Finally, they will be able to identify research gaps in the field and develop their own research questions and ideas for further academic exploration. |
| Bibliography | Will be added soon. |
| Weblink | Europainstitut |
| Admission requirements | The number of participants is limited to 20 persons to ensure active and constructive discussions. Participants are selected by date of enrolment. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| unregelmässig | See individual dates | ||
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 30.10.2025 | 18.00-20.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Thursday 13.11.2025 | 18.00-20.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Friday 12.12.2025 | 09.00-17.00 | Riehenstrasse 154, Seminarraum 00.022 |
| Saturday 13.12.2025 | 09.00-16.00 | Riehenstrasse 154, Seminarraum 00.022 |
| Modules |
Modul: Ungleichheit, Konflikt, Kultur (Master's degree subject: Sociology) Module: Fields: Governance and Politics (Master's degree program: African Studies) Module: The Urban across Disciplines (Master's degree program: Critical Urbanisms) Specialization Module Global Europe: Work, Migration and Society (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) Specialization Module Global Europe: Statehood, Development and Globalization (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Participants are expected to read the mandatory readings in preparation of the seminar and participate actively in class. Students have to make one oral presentation during the block seminar and contribute actively to the discussion. The final assessment is a written paper (3-5 pages). |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,5 |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | University of Basel |
| Offered by | Europainstitut |