Asylum for Sale? Capitalism and the Migration Industry
This course examines how profit-making activities are growing around people on the move. It asks: How does capitalism shape refugees’ lives? Who profits while others are deported or detained? And how might we challenge these harmful industries?
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Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
- Start Date: 21 Jun 2025End Date: 21 Jun 2025Sat (Daytime): 11:00 - 16:00In PersonFull fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
This session is part of City Lit’s courses and events marking Refugee Week from 16-22 June 2025.
It examines the multiple and sometimes surprising profit-making activities that are currently expanding around people on the move or seeking refuge over national borders – and identifies strategies and interventions designed to prevent actors profiting from harm.
What will we cover?
- The historical relationship between capitalism and migration
- The actors and industries that currently profit from people seeking asylum (including brokers and smugglers; contractors building fences and walls; border securitisation system manufacturers; corporations running private detention centers and private lawyers)
- Challenges to asylum industry harms that are taking place in and beyond the UK
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Explain how capitalism and migration are connected
- Identify and map where people seeking refuge encounter harm – and the actors which profit from it
- Critically evaluate alternatives to ‘the asylum industry’
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This session is suitable both for newcomers to the subject and for those who have some background knowledge. You will need a good grasp of English to keep up with the course.
Given the sensitive nature of the topics the session will explore, we also expect everyone to engage group and class discussions with respect and the willingness to learn from others.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
This class will be taught through a mixture of lecture, small group activities – focusing on how different actors create profit from people seeking asylum – and whole group discussion.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
There are no additional costs, but you may wish to bring pen and paper or a digital equivalent for notetaking .
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Siobhán McGuirk is an internationally experienced researcher, lecturer, journalist and filmmaker. She has a PhD in Anthropology and her specialisms include migration, LGBTQ+ rights, social justice movements and US history. As a teacher and researcher, she uses creative and collaborative methods designed to bring people together and positively shape the ways we think and act in the world.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.