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College level English

The course covers the following topics. It may also include related and/or additional topics, organized by either themes or regions:

1. Introduction: definition of globalization; understanding globalization as a process, including the concept of “interdependence.”
2. Study of the history of globalization, including a discussion of the causes of globalization and its evolution, and the role of geography.
3. Study of the economic dimension of globalization. Discussion of the key features of the global economy and its evolution. Discussion of economic ideologies that favor economic integration and of controversies related to global economic integration.
4. Study of the political dimension of globalization, including the role and power of the nation-states, the growing number and role of non-state actors, global civil society, the growing scope of international law and threats to global security. Case studies of one or more IGOs, such as the UN, and/or the World Bank. Discussion of the controversies regarding the scope of global governance.
5. Study of the cultural dimension of globalization, including culture as an evolving force, the role of language, religion, ideology, and/or technology. Discussion of controversies, such as the influence of western culture, and of concept of a “clash of civilizations”/cultures.
6. Study of the environmental /ecological dimension of globalization, including the study of population trends, inequality and resource availability, the relationship between economic growth and environmental damage. Discussion of questions related to the governance of the commons, and discussion of the concept of global citizenship.

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Identify and describe various definitions and meanings of globalization
2. Describe globalization’s history and identify regional differences.
3. Analyze the economic, political, cultural, and ecological dimensions of globalization, including controversies associated with each
4. Connect the various aspects of globalization with contemporary world developments and problems

Exams.

Short Research papers.

1. Steger, Manfred, Globalization: A Very Short Introduction
2. Jackson, Robert, Annual Editions: Global Issues, 30th ed McGraw-Hill, 2014
3. Campbell, Patricia, et al, An Introduction to Global Studies Wiley-Blackwell, 2010
4. Smallman, Shawn and Kimberly Brown, Introduction to International and Global Studies UNC Press, 2011
5. Sparke, Mathew. Introducing Globalization-Ties, Tensions and Uneven Integration. Wiley-Blackwell, 2013
6. International Studies: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Global Issues by Sheldon Anderson, Jeanne A. K. Hey, Mark Allen Peterson, Stanley W. Toops, and Charles Stevens