Beyond the Specification: Migration
Updated November 2023
Written in May 2020
In this series of blog posts (one for each of human topics of Edexcel A-Level geography), I will share some of the ‘best’ resources that I’ve come across for going beyond the specification when teaching A-Level geography. The criteria for making the list of ‘best’ resources?
Free to access
Engaging and readable for 6th form students
Encourage students to ‘think geographically’ beyond the prescribed content of their course.
By their very nature, these resources can date quickly and the list must frequently change. This is one of the issues with teaching A-Level, it can seem (at times) overwhelming to keep on top of everything and so I hope the list below proves useful to you in the classroom.
One thing I’m keen to promote in my teaching of A-Level is the use of varied sources and thus you’ll notice that each of the 5 resources below is presenting information to students in a different format. I’m always on the hunt for more of these so if you know of any, please do comment below with suggestions!
For reference, the resources below relate to the ‘Migration, Identity and Sovereignty’ topic of the Edexcel A-Level specification and some may not be suitable for other courses.
1. Climate-change migrants: what can be done?
A video from The Economist, available here.
Although climate migration is only mentioned superficially in the current spec, it is something well-worth exploring further with students if you can given it’s importance for synoptic links across the spec. This video is the best I’ve seen for discussing climate migration in terms of breadth and depth but also because it discusses examples from both the developed and developing world.
2. The Future of Migration to Europe
An academic report available here.
This comprehensive and up to date report is an excellent read for any students particularly interested in international migration. The authors argue that Europeans continue to look in the ‘rear-view mirror’ with regards to migration; focussing on the 2013-2017 ‘migration crisis’ which is increasingly in the past. Instead, we should be looking forward, into the future of migration. In order to guide students through the reading of this report, I have put together a resource pack which can be downloaded here.
3. How this border transformed a subcontinent- India Pakistan
Vox video available here.
In this extended video, the complex and contested border of India and Pakistan is discussed in depth focusing on the implications for the wider subcontinent. This video goes beyond the specification in terms of detail but this is, in my experience, an area that students find incredibly interesting and thus many would enjoy watching this video about it.
4. Things That Made the Modern Economy: Tax Havens
BBC Podcast available here.
In this podcast by the BBC News World Service, the significance of tax havens is discussed in detail. As part of this topic students explore how tax havens have resulted from the deregulation of capital markets and the emergence of new state forms, resulting from globalisation. This podcast takes that knowledge further and explores some of the big questions such as how tax havens impact various players in the global economy.
Students could make notes on the following questions:
- What are some of the advantages (past & present) given for tax havens?
- What are some of the disadvantages (past & present) given for tax havens?
- What’s the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion?
- Why are tax havens often small islands?
- What’s the link between globalisation and tax havens?
5. Our immigration conversation is broken- here’s how to have a better one
TED talk / lecture available here.
In this TED talk, Paul Kramer challenges our dominate way of thinking about migration. He argues that by focusing on positive arguments of immigration (such as the lower use of social services by migrants or the higher net tax contribution) what we’re actually doing is identifying migrants as outsiders. Rather, we need to change our language to one where migrants are shown to be (already) on the inside- a core part of our communities. This thought-provoking lecture will encourage students to think critically about what they’ve learnt and read about migration and go beyond the specification to consider how the wider conversation needs changing.