Global Dreams and Local Realities in a “Flat” World
Anthropology 311-219
Summer I
May 7-June 18, 2013
Course Access/Class Time and Location:
This is an online course. To access the course visit http://elearning.uky.edu and login to Blackboard with your LINK BLUE username and password.
Instructor: Dr. Sarah Lyon TA:
Phone: 859-539-1296 Phone:
E-mail: E-Mail:
A Note on Course Communications:
Ms. Maurer will be handling the day to day operations of the course, including grading and test administration. Therefore, you should contact her with any questions or concerns that you have. Throughout the duration of the course Dr. Lyon will also be available to assist students and students should also feel free to contact her. The BEST way to contact either Dr. Lyon or Ms. Maurer is via e-mail. Please use the Send Email option in Blackboard. This tool automatically puts the course number in the subject line and will help facilitate a quicker response from us. It is also fine to call or text either of us at our cell phone numbers listed above. If you do text please be sure to identify yourself and note that the text is in reference to ANT 311. Ms. Maurer will not have regular office hours. For telephone or SKYPE appointments please e-mail her to set up an appointment time. As always, please be sure to use proper forms of address in your e-mails (e.g.: Dear Ms. Maurer,). We will regularly provide important information and reminders via announcements posted to Blackboard and e-mails so it is imperative that you check your e-mail or Blackboard daily Monday-Friday.
Course Description:
Globalization has been a much debated phenomenon in recent years and the relative merits and drawbacks of the increasingly rapid spread of information, culture, and resources are avidly contested within the academic community and beyond. Anthropologists are interested in how globalization—the complex travel of information, goods, ideologies, capital, images and people around the world—is apprehended and negotiated by individuals and communities in specific locations. Employing an anthropological perspective enables us to evaluate the process of globalization from diverse perspectives across the globe rather than treat it as a general or universal fact, experienced everywhere the same way. This course explores the ways in which differences in factors such as nationality, ethnicity, age, gender, class and occupation shape experiences of globalization. We will employ the tools of ethnography and the lens of culture in order to analyze and interpret rapidly changing patterns of global production, consumption, contemporary politics, resistance, adaptation, identity construction, and meaning making around the world. In light of the diverse approaches to “globalization”, the goal of the course is not only to understand globalization(s), but also to employ a critical lens through which we can determine why and how various scholars approach the phenomena. After establishing a thorough grounding in the history of the current world system and the various theoretical models of globalization we will explore a variety of topics through readings, films, class discussion and independent research. Through the analysis of these diverse trends and case studies we will investigate the complex interaction between local and global phenomena and the ways in which the forces of globalization can provide either counter-hegemonic tools of liberation or serve to reinforce the status quo depending upon circumstance. We will pay close attention to the evolving strategies anthropologists have developed in order to conduct fieldwork in an increasingly global environment.
Course Goals:
At the conclusion of this course, you should be able to…
· Explain historical and contemporary global processes and how and why global cultural, economic and political linkages have intensified in recent decades
· Articulate the ways in which consumers and producers are linked through global commodity chains and how small changes in our own behavior can foment significant shifts in the power relations structuring global capitalism
· Evaluate the complexities and responsibilities of actively participating in the world community and the dilemmas and conflicts generated through individual and collective decision-making
· Comprehend how differences in factors such as nationality, ethnicity, age, gender, class, occupation, and access to political power and resources shape experiences of globalization and social justice around the world
Learning Objectives:
The course is designed to…
· Hone your critical thinking skills:
o Identify multiple dimensions of a good question
o Find and evaluate the evidence needed to answer complex questions
o Enhance your theoretical sophistication
o Develop potential solutions to the problems generated by globalization based on sound evidence and reasoning
· Enhance your communication skills:
o Improve your analytical writing skills through frequent and varied writing assignments
o Foster communication through lively written dialogue and engagement
o Advance your ability to competently critique written, oral and visual information
Required Texts, Course Readings and Viewing Materials:
The following texts are required for this course:
Brennan, Denise. 2004. What’s Love Got To Do With It?: Transnational Desires and Sex Tourism in the Dominican Republic. Durham: Duke University Press.
Kingsolver, Ann E. 2011. Tobacco Town Futures: Global Encounters in Rural Kentucky. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.
Robbins, Richard H. 2005. Global Problems and the Cultures of Capitalism, 4th Edition. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Timmerman, Kelsey. 2009. Where Am I Wearing? A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People that Make Our Clothes. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Books may be purchased from the following stores.
· Kennedy Bookstore, 405 S. Limestone, (859) 252-0331 or go to the website: http://www.kennedys.com
· Wildcat Text Books, 563 S. Limestone, (859) 225-7771 or go to the website: http://www.wildcattext.com
· UK Bookstore 106 Student Center Annex, (859) 257-6304 or go to the website: http://www.uk.bkstr.com
You can also purchase textbooks through any of the Internet bookstores, but you will need to rush shipping for them because you will need to begin reading the first day of the 4 week session. Also, please feel free to purchase the least expensive version of these books that you can find. It is permissible (and encouraged!) to use earlier, used editions of the texts in order to save money.
Additional readings (articles, book chapters, news media, films, videos, etc) will be required as well, but will be made available through the course content section of Blackboard, and through Internet sources. Specific texts are listed in the reading / assignment schedule.
Minimum Technology Requirements
Complete the following steps to make sure your computer is correctly configured and the necessary software is installed. Note: You will not be able to access course material if you fail to complete these steps.
1. Go to this site to check the minimum hardware, software and browser requirements:http://wiki.uky.edu/blackboard/Wiki%20Pages/Bb9%20Hardware%20and%20Software%20Requirements.aspx
2. Internet Explorer is NOT recommended for Blackboard. Firefox is the recommended Internet browser for the course. Go to https://download.uky.edu/ to download a free version of Firefox. Log in with your LINK BLUE id and password and search for Firefox.
3. Go to http://java.com/en/ and click on the Free Java Download button. Run the installer to get the latest version.
4. You will also need Flash, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Windows Media Player and QuickTime and Adobe Shockwave. Go to http://wiki.uky.edu/blackboard/Wiki%20Pages/Browser%20Check.aspx then click BbGO! If you do not have these installed, you can download them from this site.
5. Students and faculty can download Microsoft Office Suite (including Word and PowerPoint) from this site: https://download.uky.edu/.
If you experience technical difficulties contact the Customer Service Center at 859-218-HELP (4357) or by e-mail at . Please also inform the course instructor when you are having technical difficulties.
Distance Learning Library Services
(http://www.uky.edu/Libraries/DLLS)
● Carla Cantagallo, DL Librarian, Email:
● Local phone number: 859. 257.0500, ext. 2171;
● Long-distance phone number: (800) 828-0439 (option #6)
Bb 101 for First-Time Online Students
This is a brief introduction for students using Blackboard for the first time.
● Go to http://elearning.uky.edu and log in with your Link Blue ID.
● Click on the Courses link near the top left of the page (to the right of My Bb and under the Library tab).
● In the Course Search line, type Bb9-101 (exactly as you see it there, including the hyphen).
● Find the Course ID (first column) Bb9-101-OnLine-Stu, and click the down arrow next to the Course ID. Click Enroll then Submit.
“Attendance”:
All course materials are online and it is YOUR responsibility to access material in a timely manner. To help keep you on track I have provided a Course Schedule that you should follow. The schedule is at the end of this syllabus and also in the MODULES tab on Blackboard.
You are expected to spend a MINIMUM of 3 hours per day (5 days a week) working with the course material (including reading, writing, interacting with other students in the course, etc). Please realize that you will not be able to complete all the material in a few hours of work at the end of each module and still pass the course. If you do not have adequate time to devote to this course please reconsider enrolling in it.
Evaluation of Progress:
Evaluation of course work will be based on written demonstrations of understanding and the creative use of course material. All student grades are available for viewing (as soon as grading is complete) in the Grade Book section of Blackboard.
Mid-Term & Final Exam 45%
See online exam information below for more information. The schedule for the exams is as follows:
· First Exam: May 25th 2013 from 7:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. (worth 20%)
· Second Exam: June 28th, 2013 from 7:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. (worth 25%)
Consumption Diary and Paper 35%
During a one-week period you will keep a “consumption diary”. This will consist of a notebook listing all purchases you make and the social/emotional context in which they are made. These will be private journals through which you will explore some of the patterns of your own consumption and situate them within a broader local and global context. You will then write a Focused Autobiographical Sketch on Consumption which, in addition to turning in for a grade, you will post to a small group discussion board on Blackboard. You and a small (approximately 5) group of fellow students will comment on each other’s autobiographical sketch and together write an approximately 750 word summary of your points of comparison and contrast which will be posted to a whole class discussion board. The final consumption paper you write (5-7 pages double spaced), inspired by your diary, should reflect upon your consumption habits in light of the readings and discussions addressed in class. All assignment components are due by 9 a.m. on the due date unless otherwise noted. Assignments should be turned in using the assignments feature of Blackboard (accessed through the My Grades tab).
· Diary Due: 5/22
ü Worth 5% of final course grade
· Focused Autobiographical Sketch on Consumption: Due: 5/29
ü 2-4 pages double spaced
ü Worth 5% of final course grade
ü Turned into instructor and posted to Blackboard by due date
· Small Group Work Due: 6/9
ü Students will be randomly assigned to small group discussion boards prior to the beginning of this Consumption Module. A small group work grading rubric will be posted prior to this initial start date as well.
ü Students must post their Auto-Sketch to the Small Group Discussion Board by 9:00 a.m. on 5/29
ü Each student must post at least one comment on each group member’s sketch by 9:00 a.m. on 6/2
ü Students must work together to write a 750 word summary of their findings to share with the larger class by 9:00 a.m. on 6/7
ü Each student must post at least one comment on another group’s summary findings by 9:00 a.m. on 6/9
ü Worth 5% of final course grade
· Final Consumption Paper: Due: 6/14
ü 5-6 pages double spaced
ü Worth 20% of final course grade
Discussion Boards 20%
· We will have 4 discussion boards worth 5 points each (each associated with a corresponding module)
· Please see below for more information
· Discussion 1: 5/9-5/22 Globalization and the Culture of Capitalism
· Discussion 2: 5/23-6/4 Consumers, Producers and Community in the Global Economy
· Discussion 3: 6/5-6/12 Global vs. Local: Accommodating and Resisting Globalization
· Discussion 4: 6/13-6/18 Global Cultural Flows
Grading:
Students with a final course grade of:
90-100 will earn an A
80-89 will earn a B
70-79 will earn a C
60-69 will earn a D
60 and below will earn an F
Submission of Assignments:
All assignments must be submitted online. Assignments sent via e-mail will not be accepted/graded. If you have problems submitting an assignment, it is your responsibility to let your instructor know. Written assignments MUST be submitted as Microsoft Word files unless otherwise noted. All filenames should use only alpha-numeric characters (a-z, 0-9) before the file extension (example .doc or .docx). Example: SamAdamsEssay2.doc . Blackboard does not accept file names with characters like !@#$%. Please Note: Points will be deducted for late assignments (up to 5 percentage points for each day an assignment is turned in late).
Problems associated with your computer, procrastination, or forgetfulness are not acceptable excuses for late submission of assignments. It is YOUR responsibility to make sure that you access and submit assignments on time.
Online Exam Information:
There will be a mid-term and final exam in this course which will involve a combination of 40 multiple choice or true/false questions and between 3 and 5 short answer or essay questions. The exams will be divided into two TIMED separate exams (one timed exam for the objective questions, one timed exam for essay/short answer questions). The exam will be available from 7:00 to 11:00 a.m. on the day of the exam. It is your responsibility to make sure that you access the material during that time period. You can access the examination any time during the 4 hour window but you can only access EACH portion of the exam once. Once you access an examination you will have a set time (40 minutes for the objective portion, 40 minutes for the essay/short answer) in which to complete and submit it. If you go over your time you will receive an automatic score of zero for the examination (section of the exam). It is your responsibility to watch the time and submit the examination in time.
Online examinations are OPEN BOOK examinations. This means you can use your textbooks, assigned readings and any other notes when taking an examination. However, you are not allowed to contact other class members or outside individuals for assistance with the exam. You are on your honor to (a) take the examination on your own without the assistance of another person and (b) not share the contents of the exam with other members of the course who have not yet taken it. Any breach of this policy will be dealt with strictly and appropriately. While the exams are open book, it is critical that you realize that due to the timed nature of the exams you still need to study and that you will not pass without adequate preparation.