• E4J University Module Series: Trafficking in Persons & Smuggling of Migrants

• Module 5: Smuggling of Migrants in the Broader Context of Migration and its Drivers

• Introduction and learning outcomes

• Key issues

  • Migration and migrant smuggling
  • Mixed migration flows
  • The social politics of migrant smuggling
  • Vulnerability
  • Profile of Smugglers
  • Addressing demand: the role of organized criminal groups
  • Humanitarianism, security and migrant smuggling

• Exercises

• Additional exercises

• Possible class structure

• Core reading

• Advanced reading

• Other resources

• Student assessment

• Additional teaching tools

 

Published in January 2019. 

 

 

  This module is a resource for lecturers  

 

Student assessment

 

This section provides suggestions for post-class assignments for the purpose of assessing student understanding of the Module. Suggestions for pre-class or in-class assignments are provided in the Exercises section.

The students should choose one of the following exercises to address in an essay no longer than 3,000 words, to be submitted within two weeks. The assignment is to be based on individual research, in addition to the lecture material.

• Critically and constructively comment on the following statement:

On the one hand smuggling can provide a valuable service, by enabling asylum seekers to escape persecutions and reach asylum; on the other hand, migrant smuggling can expose the already vulnerable to even greater vulnerability. We currently face a conundrum: how to protect asylum seekers from insecurity associated with smuggling without closing the door for applying for international protection. (Koser, 2001)

• Do you consider it feasible to effectively combat migrant smuggling while fully respecting the principle of non-refoulement? What is the impact of the externalization of borders in this debate?

The lecturer may further assign homework to be submitted during the next session. To this effect:

• Students could be asked to comment on one of the films shown during the 'Introduction'.
• Students could research a real-life example of a link between migrant smuggling and other crimes, elaborating on the resulting negative individual and social repercussions.

It is suggested that homework essays do not exceed 1,000 words.

 

Next: Additional teaching tools

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